NNewsSpring 2003 5_14 - Keep America Beautiful

Postcards From Across Am e
WCBS RADIO
50th Anniversary Road-Trip Reflections
from KAB President G. Raymond Empson
This is an extraordinary time in the
history of Keep America Beautiful.
My travels over the past few months
have brought me across the country,
where—in state after state—I see the
growing momentum and a rededication
to our mission as we celebrate our first
half-century of improving communities.
I am continually awed by the dedication
of individuals working together to
make their neighborhoods, their workplaces
and their public places better
today and for future generations.
ARKANSAS
ORLANDO
We started our anniversary year in
Orlando, with the Board of Directors
meeting in this extremely clean city!
Keep Orlando Beautiful provided
Directors with a briefing on outstanding
Orlando programs, including a visit to
Orange County Elementary School to
preview their environmental education
program. Directors were enthusiastic
about the visit; our thanks to Keep
Orlando Beautiful coordinator Jane
Ferry for hosting the terrific event.
TENNESSEE
My travels took me next to my birthplace,
Tennessee. It was a celebratory
atmosphere in Nashville—not just
because of our 50th anniversary – but
because this year also marks Keep
Tennessee Beautiful’s 20th anniversary.
It was an exciting gathering of our
affiliates, hosted by Edith Heller—an
exemplary state leader and program
director. As the former mayor of
Nashville, Governor Bredesen is familiar
with Keep America Beautiful and
through the Tennessee Department of
Transportation has helped the state
embrace a commitment to education,
litter prevention and beautification.
WEST VIRGINIA
SOUTH CAROLINA
Then it was on to South Carolina to
be part of opening the 2003 SC Litter
Summit. I am extremely pleased that
Keep South Carolina Beautiful is associated
with Palmetto Pride. Senator
David Thomas, Palmetto Pride
Campaign Coordinator Becky Hill
Barnes and Keep South Carolina
Beautiful Coordinator Sarah Robinson
all provide great leadership and hosted
an outstanding Summit. This Litter
Summit was another example of the
comprehensive efforts being undertaken
here to engage all the critical
players required to bring about sustainable
litter prevention solutions.
We salute South Carolina’s involving
legislators, state and local government
officials, educators, law enforcement
officials, the judiciary, corporations,
citizens and the media because they
all play vital roles in accomplishing
positive long-term results.
WEST VIRGINIA
Later in March I was privileged to participate
in another outstanding conference
in West Virginia. This was very
well attended by a group of outstanding
“Make It Shine” award winners;
KAB Education Director Sue Smith
conducted training workshops for the
group. I am very excited by the efforts
to grow affiliates under the leadership
of Emily Fleming, Chief Environmental
Resources Section and state coordinator
of Keep America Beautiful System in
WV. I was able to tour a number of
outstanding river reclamation programs
including Robin and Terry Moore’s
River Works Downstream Cleanup.
LAS VEGAS
We went on to Las Vegas, where we
participated in the Great American
Cleanup activities including an event
with Brad Hauter in his 5,600 crosscountry
“Mow Across America” journey.
GEORGIA
Crisscrossing the country, on April 2
we shared in the celebration of the 25th
anniversary of Keep Georgia Beautiful
(KGB). Many of you have already heard
my descriptions of Georgia as the cradle
of KAB. Indeed it is! Macon-Bibb was
KAB’s first local affiliate and KGB
became our first state affiliate four years
later. Though many front-runners don’t
finish the race, KGB has been, and
remains today, a national model for
state affiliates that deliver positive,
sustainable improvements to the qual-
MIS
page 4 keep america beautiful — NETWORK NEWS — spring 2003