Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful Receives Awards for 2015

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Pictured are several Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful board members with the awards. Front row (left to right): Hailey Delatorre, Shell Underwood, Patricia Edwards, Liz Swafford, and Aaron Marcelli. Top row (left to right): Phillip Pfeifer, Chris Cochran, Joe Thomas, Jennifer Jefferies, Anthony Cline.

(Dalton, GA – May 12, 2016) – Local non-profit Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful received the Governor’s Circle Award on January 26. The statewide awards were presented by Governor Nathan Deal at the State Capitol as part of the Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation’s Annual Legislative Day.

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. 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.

“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 received received the 2015 Keep America Beautiful President Circle Award recognition at Keep America Beautiful’s recent National Conference in Orlando, Florida. The President’s Circle Award recognizes exemplary performance made by certified affiliates of the national nonprofit in creating clean, green and beautiful communities.

In qualifying for a President’s Circle Award, Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful has met KAB’s standards of merit by conducting an annual Community Appearance Index, calculating the affiliate’s cost/benefit ratio, and administering activities in the areas of litter prevention, recycling and waste reduction, and beautification and community greening. Established in 1953, KAB consists of a national network of more than 600 community-based affiliates whose programs, initiatives and efforts aim to transform public spaces into beautiful places.

“One of Keep America Beautiful’s most effective tools is the work of our grassroots network of affiliate organizations, which has an impact on millions of Americans each year,” said Keep America Beautiful President and CEO Jennifer Jehn. “Our affiliates are providing real solutions that help create communities that are socially connected, environmentally healthy and economically sound.”

In 2015 Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful’s volunteer board hosted and facilitated several activities including the annual Christmas Tree and Electronics Recycling Day, Composting Awareness Week, Adopt-a-Mile litter cleanups, Ecumenical Earth Day, Conasauga Watershed River Cleanup, and environmental education sessions for children and adults.

During this time the litter prevention committee established the educational campaign “Love it, don’t trash it!” #LiveLitterFree. The recycling committee sponsored the sustainability themed mural “An Earth Worth Saving” located at Thornton Ave. and Waugh St. And, the beautification committee provided grants for school gardens to several local schools among other projects.

Visit www.KeepDaltonWhitfieldBeautiful.org to register for the KDWB newsletter or call 706-278-5001 to find out how you can volunteer or participate in events.

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About Keep America Beautiful, Inc.

Keep America Beautiful is the nation’s leading nonprofit that brings people together to build and sustain vibrant communities. With a national network of community-based affiliates, we work with millions of volunteers who take action in their communities to transform public spaces into beautiful places. Through our programs and public-private partnerships, we engage individuals to take greater responsibility for improving their community’s environment. To learn how you can donate and take action, visit kab.org, follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, or view us on YouTube.

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.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

 Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful

-       Website: www.KeepDaltonWhitfieldBeautiful.org

-       Facebook: www.facebook.com/keepdaltonwhitfieldbeautiful

-       Office: 706-226-6211

“An Earth Worth Saving” Mural Celebrated During Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

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Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful and 1000 Words Dalton Art Project celebrated the completion of the mural “An Earth Worth Saving” by local artist Henry Green. The mural is located downtown at the intersection of Thornton Ave. and Waugh St.

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Local artist Henry Green was selected to design a mural with a recycling and sustainability theme for Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful. The selection process was facilitated by 1000 Words Dalton Art Project.

(Dalton, GA, April 14, 2016) –  The completion of the mural “An Earth Worth Saving” by local artist Henry Green was celebrated on Tuesday, April 12 with a ribbon cutting ceremony organized by the Greater Dalton Chamber of Commerce. The recycling and sustainability themed mural is sponsored by Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful in partnership with 1000 Words Dalton Public Art Project. The new mural is located at the corner of Thornton Ave. and Waugh St. on the side of the MAPCO gas station across the street from the Dalton Green Park.

Last fall Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful’s recycling committee requested artist submissions through 1000 Words for a recycling and sustainability themed mural. Green’s design which included a view of planet Earth from space was ultimately chosen out of six different designs.

While the painting of the mural was done by Green, volunteers helped to prepare the wall for the new artwork during three work days. Teens from The City of Refuge who volunteered also helped Green select different animals to add to his design.

In the mural the Earth is is covered with plastic bottles bringing attention to the amount of plastic being used but not recycled. By not recycling we produce more waste, litter, and fill up landfills with materials that could be used again. Circling the planet is an astronaut with a recycling bin reaching for a paper airplane that says, “What we save, saves us.” What we recycle and reuse saves the Earth by conserving limited natural resources.

The large trees on either side of the Earth are an homage to the Tree of Life. When we recycle paper we help conserve trees which provide oxygen, shade, and a habitat for living things. Some of the animals represented in the trees are the red panda, chameleon, horse, snake, dolphin, and elephant. As we save the Earth we in turn benefit ourselves because we are all interconnected, making this an Earth worth saving.

Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful is the local Keep America Beautiful affiliate striving to create a more vibrant, beautiful community. The non-profit focuses on initiatives for litter prevention, waste reduction and recycling, and community greening and beautification. They recently released an educational campaign about preventing litter called “Love it, don’t trash it!” #LiveLitterFree. Learn more at www.keepdaltonwhitfieldbeautiful.org.

1000 Words is a new initiative to promote and accelerate the growth of public art in Dalton. The initiative partners with local artist with the funding, location and community volunteers to create murals and sculptures around town. Program organizers want to give Dalton a voice through public art, accelerate beautification, instill pride in our community and inspire the next generation.

For more information about the mural and additional photos visit the Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful on Facebook or call 706-278-5001.

Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful

-               Website: www.KeepDaltonWhitfieldBeautiful.org

-               Facebook: www.facebook.com/keepdaltonwhitfieldbeautiful

"Love it, don't trash it!" Educational Campaign Launched

One of the billboards for the new "Love it, don't trash it!" anti-litter campaign is located at S. Thornton Ave. and Cedar St. in Dalton. 

(Dalton, GA, February 10, 2016) – Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful wants you to show some love to Whitfield County by preventing litter, trash in the wrong place, starting in your own neighborhood. This month KDWB is launching a new educational campaign, titled “Love It, Don’t Trash It” aimed at providing residents with actions they can take to help prevent litter in our community. Residents can share how they’re showing our community some love on social media using the hashtag #LiveLitterFree.

Litter is a growing issue in the Dalton and Whitfield community. Fast food wrappers, cigarette butts, and bottles along the road have become the norm. Litter impacts our quality of life, destroys our town’s natural beauty, can harm or kill wildlife, diminish water quality, and even contribute to motor vehicle accidents.

Yet it’s important to recognize that litter is preventable when individuals take personal responsibility for their environment. Simple actions like keeping a plastic bag in your vehicle to collect trash, or properly closing the lid on trash carts can make a big difference.

KDWB believes that the majority of residents in Whitfield County want a clean, beautiful, and vibrant place to live. Last June the litter prevention committee invited residents to submit their anti-litter slogan ideas to be used in the new educational campaign. In August the group chose the slogan, "Love it, don't trash it!" and the hashtag #LiveLitterFree out of more than fifty entries. Both phrases were slight variations on slogans submitted by local residents Eli Miranda and Robert Fernandez.

Show Whitfield County some love - visit www.keepdaltonwhitfieldbeautiful.org, click on litter prevention, then download graphics with litter prevention tips to share on your social media sites. Use the hashtag #LiveLitterFree to see your post and what other residents are doing to prevent litter. Like the Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful page on Facebook for weekly educational posts and updates on volunteer opportunities. Together we can make Whitfield County a more vibrant place to live.

To help launch the campaign, there are two billboards posted with the campaign slogan along South Thornton Avenue and Cleveland Highway. KDWB also has bumper stickers, t-shirts, and other promotional items available for volunteers and residents. For more information about the campaign, contact Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful at 706-278-5001 or e-mail Executive Director Liz Swafford at lswafford@dwswa.org.

Code Enforcement Official of the Year Awarded to Dalton Officer

Code Enforcement Officer Chris Cochran from the Dalton Police Department was honored as the 2015 Code Enforcement Official of the year by Keep Georgia Beautiful. 

(Dalton, GA, December 18, 2015) –  Code Enforcement Officer Chris Cochran from the Dalton Police Department was honored as the 2015 Code Enforcement Official of the year by Keep Georgia Beautiful. Cochran established the code enforcement program in 2013 and has been responsible for enforcing environmental, housing, and land use codes in the city.  

Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful, the local Keep America Beautiful and Keep Georgia Beautiful affiliate, and the City of Dalton nominated Cochran for his extensive work in the area of code enforcement. Throughout the year he’s been involved in activities ranging from removing illegally dumped tires to informing residents about building code violations.

Almost 250 Georgians attended the 37th Annual Keep Georgia Beautiful Awards Luncheon on Wednesday, December 16 at the Marriott Century Center. The annual program honors individuals and organizations working to improve Georgia’s environment.

“Today’s program celebrates and recognizes 37 years of collaboration by individuals, schools, corporations, non-profit organizations and government agencies to keep Georgia’s environment beautiful,” said Kevin Perry, President of the Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation.

The annual awards ceremony recognizes outstanding efforts in the areas of Litter Prevention, Waste Reduction & Recycling and Community Improvement. Individual wards are presented to a public works official, code enforcement official, elected official, student, male volunteer, female volunteer, and executive director of the year.

The program also honors Georgia’s Keep America Beautiful Affiliates for their comprehensive environmental impact on the local community. Since its inception in 1978, Georgia’s affiliate network has grown to be the nation’s largest, with 78 local affiliates serving 76% of the state’s population.

Additional article also posted on the Dalton Police Department Blog: http://daltonpd.com/2015/12/dalton-officer-named-code-enforcement-official-of-the-year/

Live Christmas Tree and Electronics Recycling Event on January 9, 2016

Whitfield County Public Works staff prepare to mulch live Christmas trees during Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful’s annual treecycling event.  The next event will be on Saturday, January 9 from 8 am to 1 pm. 

Whitfield County residents are invited drop off live, natural Christmas trees and used electronic devices for recycling at the community’s annual Christmas Tree and Electronics Recycling event. Visitors to the event will receive a packet of herb or vegetable seeds to plant at home or another promotional item as a thank you for participating.

On Saturday, January 9, 2016 Keep Dalton-Whitfield Beautiful volunteers will be collecting live, natural, undecorated Christmas trees, and electronic devices from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm at The Home Depot parking lot located at 875 Shugart Road in Dalton.

There is no charge for dropping off live, natural Christmas tress. 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. 

Please note that there is a $5.00 fee for CRT (cathode ray tube) television sets and computer monitors. However, other electronics can be dropped off for free. These devices include computer consoles, digital cameras, video cameras, cell phones, gaming systems and components, mp3 players, scanners, flat screens, eBook readers, tablets, and laptops.

Join and share the event on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1631276870458795/

Before going to the event secure your load for cleaner and safer 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.

If you are unable to attend there are several options available year round for recycling Christmas trees and electronic devices.  

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 only 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, 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.