Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful Receives Inaugural Governor’s Circle Recognition Award

Representatives from Keep America Beautiful affiliates from across the state of Georgia gathered at the State Capitol to receive the inaugural Governor's Circle Recognition Award. 

Atlanta, GA – Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful received the Governor’s Circle Award on December 9, 2013. These inaugural, statewide awards were presented by Gov. Nathan Deal at the State Capitol as part of the Keep Georgia Beautiful Fall Conference.

Created by the Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation in honor of its 35th Anniversary; The Governor’s Circle Award recognizes exemplary performance by certified affiliates in reducing litter, minimizing waste and greening local communities. To qualify for the Governor’s Circle Award, affiliates must be in good standing with Keep America Beautiful; conducting an annual Litter Index, calculating the affiliate’s cost/benefit ratio and engaging volunteers to take greater responsibility for their community environment. Additionally, the affiliate must be an active member of the Georgia network.

“The affiliates receiving the Governor’s Circle Award represent the best of community improvement efforts”, said Sarah Visser, Executive Director of the Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation, “they are doing the hard work every day to keep their communities economically vibrant and environmentally sustainable”.

Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful, also known as the Clean and Beautiful Commission, was established in 1989 and became an affiliate in 1991.  Board members and volunteers focus on activities that promote litter prevention, beautification, waste reduction, and recycling.  Annual events include Christmas Tree and Electronics Recycling in January, Community Planting Day, Adopt-a-Mile cleanups, participation in local Earth Day events, and the Conasauga Watershed Cleanup, among others.

“I would like to thank all of our amazing board members, volunteers, and community partners for making the work of Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful possible.” said Liz Swafford, Executive Director of Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful.  “With their commitment and support our local affiliate has continued to grow and expand it’s range of activities and continue to make a positive impact in the community.”

Those interested in volunteering should visit www.keepdaltonwhitfieldbeautiful.org, or call 706-226-6211. 

Georgia is the first state in the Keep America Beautiful (KAB) network to create a Governor’s Circle Award modeled on KAB’s national good standing designation.

About Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation (KGBF):  Created in 1978 by Governor George Busbee, Keep Georgia Beautiful (KGB), became the first state affiliate of Keep America Beautiful.  In 2011, the Keep Georgia Beautiful program merged with the Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation, Inc. which was created in 1985 to promote private sector financial support for worthwhile educational programs that enhance the environment and the quality of life in Georgia. KGBF coordinates a number of environmental efforts including the Great American Cleanup™ and the statewide Bring One for the Chipper Christmas tree recycling program.  The Foundation is based on a fundamental premise that the environmental interests of the state of Georgia and the people who live here are best served when public and private interests work hand-in-hand to achieve common goals. Our connections with the public and private sectors aid us in our mission to support local Keep Georgia Beautiful affiliates as they build and sustainable communities through litter prevention, waste reduction, recycling, water resource management and community greening.  For more information about the KGB Foundation, please visit www.keepgeorgiabeautiful.org or call the office at (404) 679-4910.

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Media inquiries may be directed to Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation, Executive Director, Sarah Visser at (404) 679-4910 (office) or sarah.visser@kgbf.org. {C}

Live Christmas Tree and Electronics Recycling Event January 4, 2014

Christmas trees will be collected at The Home Depot in Dalton along with electronics during Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful’s annual treecycling event.  The next event will be on Saturday, January 4, 2014 from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. 

Residents are invited to start their new year fresh by recycling their live Christmas tree and dropping off used electronic devices for recycling at the community’s annual “treecycling” event. On Saturday, January 4, 2014 Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful volunteers will be collecting live, natural, undecorated Christmas trees, and electronic devices for recycling.  The annual collection event will be held from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm at The Home Depot parking lot located at 875 Shugart Road in Dalton. 

Residents may drop-off their Christmas trees for free.  Trees must be free of ornaments, nails, hooks, wire, tinsel, lights, and other decorations.  Only natural, live, real trees will be accepted – no artificial trees please.  Trees will be recycled on site into mulch that will be used for beautification projects throughout Whitfield County. 

Used electronics accepted include computers, digital cameras, video cameras, cell phones, gaming systems and components, mp3 players, scanners, and laptops.  There is a fee of $5.00 per item for the proper recycling of television sets, and computer monitors.  All other electronics can be dropped off for free. Electronics will be processed by Reworx Recycling, which is part of the Tommy Nobis’ Foundation program NobisWorks.

Please remember to secure your load for cleaner roads.  Tie down and put a tarp on items placed in the back of a pick-up truck, trailer, or on the roof of a vehicle.

Those unable to participate the day of the event may use one of the following options to properly dispose of their holiday items.

1.) The City of Dalton Public Works Department will collect Christmas trees from the curb for city residents that have garbage collection service through the city.  City residents should call 706-278-7077 to request pick-up.  Yard debris is regularly picked up throughout the year every other week.

2.) The four Convenience Centers managed by the Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority have drop-off areas for yard debris that is recycled year round.  These include the McGaughey Chapel, M.L.King Blvd., Westside, and the Old Dixie Hwy. Landfill & Convenience Center. 

3.) Electronics are collected for recycling year round at the Old Dixie Hwy. Landfill & Convenience Center.   For hours of operation and directions to any of the four Convenience Centers visit www.DWSWA.org or call 706-277-2545.

Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful would like to thank the following organizations for making this event possible: Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority, Reworx Recycling, Whitfield County Public Works Department, and The Home Depot in Dalton.  For more details about the event visit www.KeepDaltonWhitfieldBeautiful.org or call 706-278-5001.

Click here to download the event flyer. 

Annual Conasauga Watershed Clean-up a Success

Members of Girl Scout Brownie Troop 14603 volunteered at the Lakeshore Park cleanup site during the 19th Annual Conasauga Watershed Cleanup.  Pictured from left to right are Adults: Jennifer McGaughey, Michell Gray, Amber Stiles. Kids: Jayda Harrod, Alana McGaughey, Paige Stiles, Laila Perry, Abigail Rann, Chassidy Crider, Sarah Key, and Bree Worley.

(Dalton, GA, November 20, 2013) –258 volunteers from Whitfield and Murray Counties participated in the 19th Annual Conasauga River Watershed Clean-up on Saturday, October 26.  The annual event took place during the United Way’s “Make a Difference Day”.  Volunteers spent the morning removing trash, debris, and invasive plants from seven sites in the two counties.  Overall, volunteers collected and removed 8,329 pounds of trash and 37 tires. 

Event organizers want to thank everyone who participated and contributed to the success of this year’s event.  The amount of clean-up time donated by volunteers, approximately 774 hours, is valued at $16,077.  Volunteers received a t-shirt and a hat or reusable water bottle in appreciation for their participation. 

Organizers want to especially thank this year’s funding sponsors: Shaw Industries, J&J Industries, Dalton Utilities, Dalton-Whitfield Solid Waste Authority, The Nature Conservancy, and the Conasauga River Alliance.  Also, they would like to recognize these additional organizations that helped coordinated the event: Carpet & Rug Institute, Dalton State College, Dalton Utilities, Keep Chatsworth-Murray Beautiful, Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful, Limestone Valley RC & D, and Murray County Extension.

The Conasauga River, one of the six most biologically diverse freshwater river systems in the United States, supports 24 endangered species and a dozen other imperiled species, including the Southern Pigtoe mussel and the Conasauga logperch, a fish found nowhere else in the world.  The Conasauga Watershed Clean-up has long been a part of Rivers Alive, a statewide campaign to clean and preserve over 70,000 miles of Georgia’s rivers and streams.

Rivers Alive continues to be the state’s and one of the South’s largest volunteer efforts to beautify water resources.  So far this year, 23,930 volunteers have participated in 260 clean-up events through out the state and have collected 477,569 pounds of garbage from Georgia waterways. For more information about efforts in other areas or the statewide campaign visit www.RiversAlive.org.

Eek-o-Friendly Costume Swap on October 19

 Exchange last year’s costume for one that’s new to you!

(Dalton, GA, October 11, 2013) –  Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful invites you to swap your clean, gently-used Halloween costume for one that’s new to you at the Eek-o-Friendly Costume Swap.  It will take place on Saturday, October 19 from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm at the Gaston Community Center in Dalton.  Stop by to “recycle” your costume, and learn new ways to make your Halloween more eco-friendly.

In the spirit of National Costume Swap Day™, volunteers will be accepting family friendly costumes for babies, children, adults, and pets.  A costume to swap is required for admission to the costume area.  The event will be set up in meeting rooms C and D, which are at the far left side of the building.  Costume donations will be accepted during the event for those that do not need to swap but want to put their old costumes to good use.

During the event visitors, with and without costumes to swap, can visit the booths with information about making your Halloween greener.  Topics include zapping energy vampires in your home, how to choose better treats and treasures, and more.

For more event information visit www.keepdaltonwhitfieldbeautiful.org, https://www.facebook.com/events/1386097834954445/, or call 706-278-5001.

19th Annual Conasauga Watershed Clean-up on October 26

Be a part of the tradition on Saturday, October 26 when you join other volunteers in cleaning up the Conasauga Watershed.  Registration opens at 9:00 am at each of the seven clean up sites located in Whitfield County and Murray County.  Choose a site and enjoy some muddy merriment as you help care for our area’s beautiful streams and river! 

This year’s clean-up will take place at seven locations:

1. Conasauga River at Carlton Petty Road bridge

2. Conasauga River at Highway 2 bridge

3. Conasauga River at Lower King’s Bridge/Norton Bridge

4. Holly Creek, Murray County, on the Chattahoochee National Forest

5. Mill Creek tributary in the City of Dalton

6. Coahulla Creek at Prater’s Mill

7. Lakeshore Park in the City of Dalton

The 19th Annual Conasauga Watershed Clean-up is held in conjunction with Northwest Georgia United Way’s Make A Difference Day and Georgia’s Annual Waterway Clean-Up, Rivers Alive.  The first 250 volunteers will receive a free shirt, and a hat or reusable water bottle.

Sturdy shoes or boots, gloves, long pants, and long sleeved shirts are recommended.  Hip or chest waders are useful, but are not required.  Trash bags and other supplies will be provided. 

One of the six most biologically diverse freshwater river systems in the United States, the Conasauga River supports 24 endangered species and a dozen other imperiled species, including the Southern Pigtoe mussel and the Conasauga log perch, a fish found nowhere else in the world.

SPONSORS:    Shaw Industries, J&J Industries, Dalton Utilities, Dalton-Whitfield Regional Solid Waste Management Authority (DWRSWMA), The Nature Conservancy (TNC), and the Conasauga River Alliance (CRA).

COORDINATORS:  Carpet & Rug Institute, CRA, Dalton State College, Dalton Utilities, DWRSWMA, Keep Chatsworth-Murray Beautiful, Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful, Limestone Valley RC & D, TNC, and Murray County Extension.

For additional information, please contact John Lugthart at jlugthart@daltonstate.edu, or 706-272-2485.   Click here to download the event flier with directions.

Join and share this event on Facebook thru Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful's event listing.