2023 Keep Warner Robins Beautiful

2023 

Keep our streets clear, we don’t litter here 

Our Mission: To educate the public 

and promote interest in the improvement 

of the environment in Warner Robins 

A Special Publication of : 

FREE

The City of 

Warner Robins 

is a proud 

supporter of 

Keep Warner 

Robins Beautiful 

(478) 293-1000 

700 Watson Blvd 

Warner Robins, Ga 

31093 

www.wrga.gov

CHAIRMAN’S LETTER 

2023 Keep Warner Robins Beautiful 

3

478-929-7258 kwrb@wrga.gov 

2023 


Published By 

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS...........5 

AWARDS....................................6-7 

ADOPT-A-ROAD.........................8 

RELEAF GRANT TREE 

GIVEAWAY..................................10 

WARNER ROBINS 

TREE CANOPY...........................10 

AROBOR DAY............................11 

TIRE AMNEST EVENT.............12 

CHUNK-A-JUNK CAR.............13 

GREAT AMERICAN 

CLEANUP....................................14 

SPONSORS.................................15 

HISTORY......................................18 

LITTER AWARENESS...............18 

NATIVE PLANT EDUCATION 

CENTER...........................................19 

PUBLIC WORKS 

APPRECIATION........................22 

COMMUNITY APPEARANCE 

INDEX.........................................23 

RIVERS ALIVE....................24-25 

STORMWATER.........................26 

PAINT RECYCLING 

EVENT........................................27 

ENVIROSCAPE........................28 

FLOWER SHOW.......................28 

COMMUNITY SHRED 

DAYS..........................................29 

WILDFLOWER PROJECT......30 

A D D C H P C 

1210 Washington Street 

P.O. Box 1910 

Perry, GA 31069 

478-987-1823 

www.hhjonline.com 

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR / SALES 

Lori Kovarovic 

lorik@hhjnews.com 

ADVERTISING SALES 

Nathan Mathis 

nmathis@hhjnews.com 

GRAPHIC DESIGN 

Kayley Trischan 

4 2023 Keep Warner Robins Beautiful

2022-23 Board of Directors Members: Debbie Hoke and 

Alicia Hill pose with volunteers during the 2023 GAC Cleanup 

event on April 1st. 

2022-23 Board of Directors Members: Debbie Hoke, Jim 

Cheshire, Bill Craig, and Jeff Smith (Ho. Co. Public Works) work 

together to unload tires during the 2023 Tire Amnesty Event. 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

Tiffany Bowen, Debbie Hoke, Roman Jones, and Tony Greer prepare seedlings 

to handout at the 2023 Christmas Tree Roundup/Bring One for the Chipper 

Event. 

2022-23 Board of Directors Members: Francis Wilson, Kevin Greer, and 

Rogie Roberson hold up the Tree City USA flag in honor of the Arbor Day 

Proclamation Mayor LaRhonda Patrick presented to KWRB Manager Tiffany 

Bowen. 

What Are Volunteers? 

V - Versatile in the ways you come through; 

O - Outstanding in the things you do; 

L - Loyal and always full of good cheer; 

U - Upstanding in your service all year; 

N - Nonstop in the difference you make; 

T - Tireless in the projects you take; 

E - Enthusiastic to reach every goal; 

E - Exceptional in how you fill your role; 

R - Reliable and treasured wherever you are; 

S - Selfless and giving-like a shining star! 


Keep 

Warner 

Robins 

Beautiful 

Board of 

Directors 

Francis Wilson 

Chairman 

Bill Craig 

Vice Chairman/ 

Chairman of Internal Affairs 

Jim Cheshire 

Chairman of Beautification/ 

Municipal Operations 

Kevin Greer 

Chairman of Schools/ 

Civic Organizations 

Roman Jones 

Chairman of 

Communications/Media 

Debbie Hoke 

Chairman of 

Business & Industry 

Alicia Hill 

Rachel Preston 

Rogie Roberson 

Jeff Morgan 

Ben White 

Community Advisory Board 

Sandra Bracy 

Dave Buchanan 

Regina Palladeno 

Ex Officio Members 

Keith Lauritsen 

(Council Liaison) 

Indi Brown 

(RAFB) 

Carol Dozier 

(WR Public Works) 

Teena Mathe/Chad Foreman 

(HO. CO. Public Works) 

Staff 

Tiffany Bowen 

Manager 

Leanne Walker 

Administrative Assistant 

5

AWARDS 

Keep Warner Robins Beautiful Awards Clean Campuses 

Keep Warner Robins Beautiful and the Central 

Georgia Board of Realtors established a partnership 

to give recognition to Houston County schools 

within the Warner Robins area who, by their efforts 

to beautify their surroundings, contributed to the 

goals of KWRB. 

Elementary, middle, and high school campuses 

were recognized during the school year and the 

competition was stiff! Media centers at award 

winning schools received a monetary gift from the 

Central Georgia Board of Realtors and displayed the 

Clean Campus Award sign on their grounds. 

During the year, the following schools were also 

presented the Clean Campus Award: 

CB Watson Elementary, Miller Elementary, Veterans 

High, Feagin Mill Middle School 

Congratulations to these deserving schools! 

Home of the Year Award 

Goes to Mr. Jim & 

Mrs. Barbara Morey 

Selections for the Home of the Month Award 

are based primarily on consistent and proper 

maintenance of the home’s lawn including edging of 

borders, tasteful selection and continued nurturing 

of flowers and plants, proper structural maintenance 

of the home, and overall appearance of the home and 

its surroundings. Homes may only be recognized 

with the award one time each decade. 

Contact kwrb@wrga.gov or 478-929-7258 if you 

know of a home in Warner Robins you feel is 

deserving of this special recognition. 

David Perdue Primary was selected by the Central Georgia Board of Realtors (CGBR) 

and Keep Warner Robins Beautiful (KWRB) to receive the Clean Campus Award for their 

beautifully maintained campus. Pictured accepting the award from CGBR Kira Weaver is 

Principal Kathy Gibbs and Coach Holly Green, along with students Jeremiah, Carlee, and 

Isaiah. Also pictured, from left to right, are KWRB board member Jeff Morgan, KWRB 

manager Tiffany Bowen, and KWRB board members Bill Craig and Roman Jones. 

The home of Mr. Jim and Mrs. Barbara Morey was recognized by Keep Warner Robins 

Beautiful with the Home of the Month Award. Pictured presenting the award is KWRB Vice 

Chairman Bill Craig, also pictured, from left to right are KWRB members Tiffany Bowen, Jeff 

Morgan, and Roman Jones. The Morey’s home was selected at the end of the year as the 

2022 Home of the Year by Keep Warner Robins Beautiful’s Board of Directors. 


AWARDS 

Rigby’s Entertainment Complex was recognized with the Business of the Month Award. Pictured presenting the award to Rachel Preston is KWRB 

Immediate Past Chairmen Jim Cheshire. Also pictured, from left to right are KWRB members Jeff Morgan, Bill Craig, and Rogie Roberson. Rigby’s was 

selected as the 2022 Business of the Year by Keep Warner Robins Beautiful’s Board of Directors. 

Business-of-the-Year Awarded to Rigby’s 

Each month members of Keep Warner Robins Beautiful identify and recognize the recipient of the coveted Business of the Month 

Award or the Beautification Award of Merit. A sign, proclaiming the award, is placed in front of the property throughout the month 

and a photograph is published by local press. 

Both awards seek to honor businesses and professionals who, by their efforts to beautify and maintain their properties to high 

standards, add to the attractiveness of our community and make our business and professional areas more pleasing to our citizens and 

our visitors. 

Keep Warner Robins Beautiful is dedicated to helping the citizens make Warner Robins the most beautiful, attractive, and cleanest 

community in the entire state. 

The following businesses were also recognized during the past year: CGR Credit Union, Wild Wing Café, Chic-Fil-A (Russell Pkwy), 

Chic-Fil-A (Hwy 96), Pond Restaurant, ASX Auto Repair, and Meadowdale Early Education (Leverette Rd.). 

If you would like to nominate a property for a beautification award, please contact kwrb@wrga.gov or 478-929-7258. 

GOVERNOR’S CIRCLE AWARD 

Keep Warner Robins Beautiful received the 2022 Governor’s Circle Award for outstanding achievements in 

community beautification and environmental sustainability. The award, presented by the Keep Georgia Beautiful 

Foundation, recognizes exemplary performance in litter reduction, waste minimization, and community greening. 

To qualify for the Governor’s Circle Award, affiliates must be in good standing with Keep America Beautiful, the 

national nonprofit that oversees state and local programming. Requirements include 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. 

“We believe that everyone deserves to live in an environment that is healthy, safe, clean, and beautiful,” said 

Natalie Johnston-Russell, executive director of the Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation. “The recipients of this 

award are an instrumental part of that mission, and we are thankful for their dedication and commitment.” 


7

ADOPT-A-ROAD 

A Group of volunteers pose before heading out to cleanup Fountain Park and the surrounding creek! 

KEEP THE STREETS CLEAR, WE DON’T LITTER HERE! 

There is no such thing as “away” when you throw litter out, it must go somewhere 

Keeping roadways clear of litter has 

continued to be a very time consuming and 

Squadron, 402nd CMXG, 402nd EMXG 

Military, Sigma Epsilon Omega Chapter, 

expensive operation. 

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., 

One thing we can all do to help is to 

“Cinch-the-Sack.” A huge source of litter 

is “loose” debris, particularly tissue and 

plastic shopping bags that blow around in 

the wind. We urge you to place everything 

inside a bag and “Cinch-the-Sack.” Those 

who drive trucks can take care to not have 

loose litter in the beds of their trucks and 

American Legion, Booz Allen, CGTC 

Student Veterans Organization, Checkmate 

Queens Social Club, The Church of Jesus 

Christ of Latter-day Saints, Cinderella 

Chapter #406-O.E.S. & Ebony Lodge #433, 

CTR Clean Team, Cox Communications, 

Community Resourece Network, First 

Baptist Church Garmon Street Athletic 

to ensure they secure all other loads. 

Ministry, Force Support Squadron 

Another litter abatement program 

Airmen’s Council, Frito Lay, GA-162 

Members of the Veterans High School Environmental Club post with their 

available is Adopt-A-Spot. Keep Warner 

bounty of litter from around the High School and surrounding streets! 

AFJROTC Northside High School, Georgia 

Robins Beautiful appreciates the efforts of 

Military College, Houston County High 

churches, school clubs, civic organizations 

and businesses whose members have worked so diligently during the 

year to keep specific areas of Warner Robins clean. 

During the past twelve months 701 volunteers contributed 1385 hours 

of their time to remove more than 10.2 tons of litter from 2 miles of 

walking trails, 130 acres of public parks, 27 miles of roadway and 6 miles 

of railroad tracks. These hardworking individuals are helping keep the 

roads clear because we don’t litter here! 

Keep Warner Robins Beautiful salutes the following organizations for 

their commitment to promote a cleaner Warner Robins: 5th MOB 5/6, 5th 

Student Council, International Order of 

Rainbow for Girls (Dawn Hughes #6), Intensity Athletics, Kappa Epsilon 

Psi Military Sorority, Inc./Warner Robins Upsilon Chapter, Middle 

Georgia Miata Club, Mossy Creek Middle School Student Council, Hope 

Church, New Song Missionary Baptist Church, Omega Gamma Gamma 

Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., Parkwood Elementary School 

Clean Campus Club, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.-Kappa Zeta Sigma 

Chapter, Robins AFB Company Grade Officer Organization, Robins 

AFB, Southside Baptist Church/for the 478, Suffered In Silence, Inc., 

Veterans High School Environmnetal Club, VFW Post 9998. 

Combat Communications Group, 52nd SCM, 116 CSS, 461 Maintenance 


RELEAF GRANT TREE GIVEAWAY 

Early morning participants explore the trees available at the ReLeaf Giveaway Event! 

For the third year in a row, citizens of Warner 

Robins were given an opportunity to claim a 

variety of larger tree species, thanks to a grant 

opportunity received from the Georgia Tree 

Council and Georgia Forestry Commission. 

In December, 280 five to seven gallon trees 

were given away at the Native Plant Education 

Center with a bag of mulch to citizens of 

Houston County. Participants could choose 

from a variety of eleven different species to 

ensure they received a tree that met their needs. 

Master Gardeners and a Georgia Forestry 

Commission Representative were available 

to answer questions about best care practices 

of each available tree. Volunteers from Keep 

Warner Robins Beautiful’s Board and Veteran’s 

High School’s Environmental Club assisted 

in answering questions and loading trees and 

mulch. 

WARNER ROBINS TREE CANOPY 

TREES IN WARNER ROBINS 

The planting of crape myrtle trees has been a priority of Keep 

Warner Robins Beautiful for many years. More recently, Keep 

Warner Robins Beautiful has made all tree plantings a priority to 

ensure our city maintains a varied tree population Of course, the 

beautiful crape myrtles stand out while in bloom but at the same 

time, some areas are conspicuous by the absence of crape myrtles 

and trees in general. Tree planting on Watson Boulevard and all 

throughout the city will be a continuing project. 

Business owners on Watson Boulevard who have already planted 

crape myrtle trees have made possible the outstanding appearance 

of the city on this major thoroughfare. For this, we are most 

grateful. 

There are still many open spaces between the sidewalks and curbs 

where crape myrtles can be planted to make the city even more 

attractive. If you have any open spaces in front of your business/ 

property, we encourage you to fill them with crape myrtles or other 

appropriate trees to help build our city’s tree canopy and add to the 

beauty we all enjoy. 

If you are interested, please contact the KWRB office at kwrb@ 

wrga.gov or 478-929-7258. We will be pleased to furnish you 

with information concerning cost, color, and spacing of trees that 

would be needed in front of your business/property. We will also 

coordinate installation of the trees with the traffic engineer. 

Again, we wish to thank those businesses who have planted 

crape myrtle and other tree species, for making the attractiveness 

of Watson Boulevard possible and adding to our tree canopy. If 

you have not planted crape myrtles or other tree species, we hope 

you will join with us in helping make Warner Robins as attractive 

as possible while creating the best possible environment for your 

business and customers. 

In celebration of National Arbor Day and Earth Day, Cherry Blossom trees were planted 

throughout the city, starting with the Municipal Complex. 

Beautiful Crape Myrtles in bloom line Watson Blvd. 


Members of KWRB’s Board hand out tree seedlings to patrons of Kroger. 

During February, local residents were invited to celebrate 

Arbor Day by planting a tree. Thanks to Flint Energies, Redbuds 

and Tulip Poplar seedlings were given to patrons of Kroger on 

Highway 96 by members of the KWRB Board and Veterans 

High School Environmental Club. 

ARBOR DAY 

Members of KWRB were available to answer questions about 

planting and caring for the seedlings. For the past thirty three 

years Arbor Day has been celebrated in Warner Robins by the 

members of Keep Warner Robins Beautiful. 

In 1872, J. Sterling Morton proposed to the Nebraska Board 

of Agriculture that a special day be set aside for the planting of 

trees. This celebration was to be called Arbor Day and would 

recognize the importance of trees in our lives. The first Arbor 

Day in 1872 was a great success. Over one million trees were 

planted and the idea spread to neighboring states. Today, 150 

years later, Arbor Day is celebrated in all 50 states and even in 

countries throughout the world. J. Sterling Morton’s dream of a 

greener tomorrow is still alive. Our cities are becoming greener 

and healthier places in which to live, work, and play. People 

everywhere are more aware of the need to plant trees. For, as J. 

Sterling Morton said, “…trees are a joy forever.” 

The Department of Agriculture estimates that one acre of 

forest absorbs six tons of carbon dioxide and puts out four 

tons of oxygen, enough to meet the needs of 18 people. That 

same acre will also remove 13 tons of particulate pollution 

and potentially harmful gases. During this program 1,000 tree 

seedlings found new homes with people who promised to plant 

and nurture them. 

Warner Robins will be...greener because of Arbor Day! 

Congratulations... 

Now celebrating over 35 years of 

Keeping Warner Robins Beautiful and 32 

consecutive years as a Tree City USA! 

BILL CRAIG 

REALTOR® CRS, GRI, ABR 

Office: (478) 953-2244 x2104 

Cell: (478) 318-2455 


Real Estate Services 

11

TIRE AMNESTY EVENT 

Every other year, Keep Warner Robins Beautiful partners with Houston County Public Works to put on a Tire Amnesty 

Event. During this event, citizens of Warner Robins can bring all of their scrap tires to one of three locations to dispose of 

free of charge. The tires are then taken to a recycler, thanks to a grant program offered by the E.P.D. This year, more than 

5,000 tires (124 tons) were collected and recycled from Houston County, keeping our streets clear because we don’t litter 

here! 

Volunteers worked together to quickly unload tires. 

Trucks and trailers full of tires lined up for two days to take advantage of this community partner event! 


CHUNK-A-JUNK-CAR 

Keep Warner Robins Beautiful (KWRB) is pleased to once again partner 

with Warner Robins Wrecker & Towing Service to host the Annual Chunk- 

A-Junk Car Program throughout the month of May in celebration of the 

Great American Cleanup. 

Persons requesting this FREE service will be required to: 

(1) provide name, address, telephone number, and 

vehicle description, and; 

(2) sign a release authorizing removal/disposal of the 

vehicle by Warner Robins Wrecker Service. 

Owners who wish to have a junk vehicle removed from their property, free of charge, are urged to contact Warner Robins Wrecker Service at 

478-922-1172. 

Our continued commitment to the community is supported 

by our on-going efforts in recycling and shredding. 

Cardboard Shredded Paper Magazines 

Newspaper Electronics Glass 

Aluminum and Other Metals 

www.happyhourservicecenter.org 1-478-929-6600 

Proud sponsors of Keep Warner Robins Beautiful 


13

GREAT AMERICAN CLEANUP 

KWRB Launches 2023 Great American Cleanup 

Volunteers Take Action to Clean, Restore and Renew Warner Robins 

Volunteers clean litter from Watson and Commercial Circle. 

During Nation’s Largest Community Improvement Program 

GFL Environmental volunteers pose with one of the trucks donated to the GAC event. Several 

GFL trucks were filled with illegally dumped waste at no cost to Keep Warner Robins Beautiful. 

Volunteers gather supplies before heading out into this year’s target cleanup area. 

The 25th anniversary of Keep America Beautiful’s 

Great American Cleanup, the nation’s largest community 

improvement program, kicked off in Warner Robins with 

Keep Warner Robins Beautiful (KWRB), Houston County 

Habitat for Humanity, and Robins Regional Chamber 

collaborating to host a massive cleanup of Commercial 

Circle to North Pleasant Hill. 

The Great American Cleanup, which takes place annually in 

an estimated 20,000 communities nationwide, engages more 

than 5 million volunteers and participants, on average, every 

year to create a positive and lasting impact. KWRB, along 

with Keep America Beautiful’s more than 600 communitybased 

affiliates and partnering organizations, plan volunteer 

events and education programs that help to renew parks, 

trails and recreation areas, clean waterways, remove litter 

and debris, reduce waste, improve recycling, and plant trees, 

flowers and community gardens. 

“We were thrilled to once again kick off the Great American 

Cleanup with our friends at Houston County Habitat for 

Humanity, while addressing community needs in a new 

location with the Robins Regional Chamber,” said Keep Warner 

Robins Beautiful Manager Tiffany Bowen. “Representatives 

from several different organizations, sororities, fraternities, 

businesses, and city departments came together through hard 

work to create meaningful and lasting change in our local 

community. Thanks to grappler trucks, roll offs, and a rear 

end load donated by GFL Environmental, participants were 

able to fill more than fifty bags of trash, they were also able 

to fill dump trucks several times over with illegally dumped 

items! The Great American Cleanup has been largely successful 

because our local government, along with businesses, civic 

organizations and dedicated volunteers, all work together to 

make sure our neighborhoods come together to be the cleanest 

and greenest possible.” 

The 2023 Great American Cleanup is a call-to-action to 

engage more volunteers and participants in public space 

cleanup, beautification, and recycling events conducted 

by Keep America Beautiful affiliates nationwide. Once an 

individual becomes a Great American Cleanup volunteer 

with their local Keep America Beautiful affiliate or partner, 

the national nonprofit’s goal is that they will be inspired to 

take that experience home to organize a similar, smallerscale 

event in their own neighborhood … even on their own 

block.

SPONSORS 

NATIONAL SPONSORS 

New Song Baptist Curch 

Mount Calvary Lutheran Church 

Southside Baptist Church/For the 478 

Boy Scout Troop 550 

VFW Post 998 

Houston County Library (Perry) 

Veterans High School Environmental Club 

PARTICIPATING GROUPS 

Booz Allen 

Robins AFB Honor Guard 

Ebony Lodge #433 

Cinderella Chapter #406 

Dawn Hughes Rainbow Assembly #6 

S&K Aerospace Business Unit 

Warner Robins Alumnae Chapter 07 Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc 

LOCAL SPONSORS 

Intensity Athletics of Warner Robins 

Warner Robins Raiders 

American Legion 

CRSA Probation 

Centerville Headstart 

Omega Gamma Gamma Chapter Omega Psi Phi 

Warner Robins 

Wrecker Service 

Blades 

of Glory 

Landscaping 

Post 9998

Keep Warner Robins Beautiful (KWRB) was 

established in 1985, with a mission to educate the 

public and promote interest in the improvement of 

the environment in Warner Robins. Each year KWRB 

expands a little bit more, adding beautification sites, 

trees, educational programs, and cleanup events that 

underline the importance of this mission. 


Keep Warner Robins 

Beautiful partnered 

with Houston County 

to collect 124 tons 

of scrap tires to 

be recycled, a cost 

savings of $38,719.65 

to citizens of Houston 

County during this 

year’s “Tire Amnesty 

Event”. 

Over the past year, KWRB hosted several 

“Rivers Alive” events to cleanout different 

portions of the Bay Gall Creek. 

478-929-7258 

kwrb@wrga.gov 

KWRB Board members pose with the Mayor and the 

City’s first ever Live Christmas tree! 

Volunteers from the Georgia Forestry Commission, 

Master Gardeners of Houston County, and Veterans 

Environmental made giving away 285 containerized 

trees and bags of mulch a breeze during the ReLeaf 

Grant Giveaway! 

Veterans Environmental Club assisted KWRB with handing out 1,250 tree 

seedlings during an Arbor Day Event held at Kroger Nixon Market Place.

Public Works assisted KWRB in 

planting the City’s first live Christmas 

Tree at the Municipal Complex 

Thanks to grant funding, Keep Warner Robins Beautiful was able to offer 

the city’s first Paint recycling event, where 7,293 POUNDS of paint were 

collected. This grant also allowed for the collection of electronics to be 

recycled, bulk waste and a makeup shred day! 

Each year KWRB “Rounds 

Up” live Christmas trees 

to be recycled. More than 

1,000 tree seedlings were 

exchanged for Christmas 

Trees at this year’s round up. 

December 2022 marked the first year 

of KWRB’s “Best Decorated” Christmas 

Competition. Categories for this Competition 

included best decorated home, best decorated 

apartment porches/balconies, and best 

decorated businesses. 

Robins Financial Credit Union 

sponsored two Community Shred 

Days, where KWRB volunteers 

collected more than 17 tons of 

paper to shred! 

Participants of the Spring Senior Citizens Flower Show 

proudly display their winnings! 

G.F.L. donated grappler trucks, dumpsters, 

and rear end loaders for our April 

G.A.C. event, allowing KWRB to clean 

up illegally dumped items from Commercial 

Circle to S. Pleasant!

HISTORY 

As some of you may know Warner Robins Beautiful 

is facing its 38th anniversary! One of the most common 

questions addressed by KWRB is “How did you get 

started?” We’d like to take this opportunity to answer. 

On December 11, 1985, the City of Warner Robins was 

officially certified by Keep America Beautiful, Inc. to 

implement the Clean Community System, an innovative, 

behaviorally-based waste management program. Since 

certification, Keep Warner Robins Beautiful has remained 

a member in good standing of Keep America Beautiful, 

Inc., a nationwide network of clean community systems, 

and a state affiliate of Keep Georgia Beautiful. Focus 

items include recycling education, litter prevention and 

eradication, community greening and beautification, 

waste reduction, community involvement, and public 

awareness. 

The organization was created by ordinance #65-85 

of the City Code and was originally named the Clean 

Community Commission. Members appointed by then- 

Mayor Ralph Johnson included Wiley Bowman, Sharon 

Cox, Curtis Dempsey, Ed Dyson, Ann Greer, Paul Hibbitts, 

LaVerne Norris, Carolyn Prince, Al Satterwhite, Nedra 

Spurlock and Leo Turner. Ed Martin, who also served as 

Mayor of Warner Robins 1988– 1991 was appointed to 

serve as Executive Director. 

Since that time, KWRB has evolved into a 22-member 

volunteer organization, staffed by a full-executive director, 

and is located in the old bank building next to City Hall 

within the department of Community and Economic 

Development. KWRB continues to work closely with 

other city entities, including Code Enforcement, Public 

Works, Storm Water, and Recreation, to fulfill its mission 

to “Educate the public and promote interest in the 

improvement of the environment…” 

LITTER AWARENESS 

As we look around our beautiful country, we 

all too often see plastic bottles, cans, glass bottles, 

polystyrene containers and cups, plastic, paper 

and a whole lot of other rubbish littering our 

streets, our parks, alongside our highways, our 

neighborhoods, our shopping areas, our rivers 

and many other places in our environment. 

No city/county department or waste company 

can keep a community clean when residents 

continue to randomly litter and dump trash 

illegally. If citizens join in to clean up their 

environment and then keep it clean, we will have 

a cleaner, safer, and more hygienic city to enjoy. 

Does It Matter If We Litter? With so many 

other important issues such as crime, health 

concerns, abuse, and joblessness, should we care 

about whether we put our litter in the bin (or 

recycle where possible)? Should we care if the 

environment in which we live is kept clean? 

YES! It does matter and we should care. Keep 

America Beautiful recently conducted a study 

estimating 50 billion pieces of litter along U.S. 

roadways and waterways. That equates to 152 

pieces of litter for every U.S. resident! Together, 

we can tackle this number in our town to Keep 

Warner Robins Beautiful. 

WHY? Litter is both an environmental and a 

social issue.Read more 

• It’s unsightly. It reduces the aesthetic appeal 

of public places including streets, parks and 

waterways. 

• It costs the community huge sums of money 

and time to clean up every year. 

• It causes blockages of the drainage system and 

causes flooding which costs millions of dollars to 

repair. This is money that can be better spent on 

housing and education. 

• When it gets into our waterways - rivers, dams 

and the ocean - it can kill aquatic life directly and 

indirectly through its impacts on water quality. 

• It decreases oxygen levels when it decays in 

water. 

• It kills rivers, and because water is such a precious 

resource and we have a limited supply, we need to 

preserve and cherish our rivers and waterways, 

which are the lifeblood of the environment. 

Waterways provide homes for wildlife and plants, 

water supplies for homes, industries and farms, 

and places of recreation and enjoyment for us all. 

• It can be dangerous to people, particularly when 

it involves items such as broken glass, rust, and 

other penetrating objects. 

• It can be a fire hazard, such as when lit cigarettes 

are thrown out of passing cars. 

• It harms birds because they may choke on 

plastic, chewing gum, or any other litter that gets 

stuck in their throats. 

• It breeds rats which carry diseases, destroy 

and eat crops and food, and chew electrical and 

telephone cables. 

• It promotes illness. 

• It encourages crime since. Areas that appear 

uncared for are seen to be unprotected and, 

therefore, easier targets. 

• It manifests a culture of disrespect for others in 

public areas. 

• It diminishes the pride people have in their 

environment. 

• It creates a culture of lack of caring. 

• It costs the municipalities a lot more money to 

clean up the litter than it costs them to empty 

bins. 

KEEP THE ROADS CLEAR, 

WE DON’T LITTER HERE! 

18 2023 Keep Warner Robins Beautiful 

LOCALLY OWNED 

HARDWARE | NURSERY 

GARDEN CENTER | ANIMALS 

NURSERY 

GARDEN CENTER 

HARDWARE 

ANIMALS/SEASONAL 

478-923-9707 

602 GA-247, Bonaire, GA

NATIVE PLANT EDUCATION CENTER 

PLANT EDUCATION CENTER 

PARTNERSHIP IS GROWING 

The Warner Robins Native Plant Education Center is a 

community collaboration that began with just a few volunteers 

from Keep Warner Robins Beautiful and the Warner Robins 

Campus at Georgia Military College. The city generously 

allowed use of property located at 155 Prince Street, directly 

across from the campus and GMC assisted with maintenance. 

The vision of the WR Native Plant Education Center is to 

promote the stewardship and conservation of Georgia’s native 

plants and their habitats through education and research 

utilizing the involvement of individuals and organizations. 

These efforts include community organizations, local 

volunteers, and GMC students involved in research, plant 

propagations, restoration of native plant communities, and 

other conservation efforts. 

You will find a diverse selection of native plants- perennials, 

shrubs, and trees at every spring, summer, and fall plant sale! 

Students and faculty members will be available to answer 

questions and provide recommendations for the best plants 

to suit your landscape needs. Come find the perfect colors for 

your yard and help us Keep Warner Robins Beautiful! 

Welcome to the Native Plant Education Center! 

Planting natives is a step in the right direction to repairing the pollinator 

population. 


19

PUBLIC WORKS APPRECIATION 

KWRB Board Members Alicia Hill and Debbie Hoke begin filling gift bags for Public Works. 

During the holidays volunteers enjoy decorating gift bags 

and filling them with goodies and treats provided by the 

community. Each employee of the Public Works Department 

is given and custom-decorated bags accompanied by a KWRB presents a cake to Public Works at the Annual appreciation Luncheon. 

heartfelt “Thank You!” 

The Public Works Appreciation Picnic is another tradition KWRB members look forward to each year in the spring. It is a 

special opportunity to express appreciation to the hardworking men and women for their efforts to keep the City of Warner 

Robins neat and clean. It is also a time to once again thank them for the outstanding support they continue to give to KWRB 

throughout the year. 

Each time help is requested, it is given on time, every time, and always with a cooperative attitude. The annual Public 

Works Picnic is but a mere token of the board’s appreciation for these fine people! 

Public Works Annual Appreciation Luncheon. 


COMMUNITY APPEARANCE INDEX 

Keep Warner Robins Beautiful (KWRB) 

conducted the Litter Index Survey, a tool 

designed by Keep America Beautiful, Inc. 

to visually assess the overall appearance of 

communities through indicators such as 

litter, illegal signs, graffiti, abandoned/junk 

vehicles, and outside storage. Flint Energies, 

Inc. and the Warner Robins Recreation 

Department provided in-kind sponsorship 

which allowed a team of community, business, 

and government representatives to conduct 

the visual analysis using a four-point Likerttype 

ordinal scale. The scoring system ranged 

from 1-4, with the lowest score being the best, 

with the least amount of litter documented. 

KWRB learned that the score of 1.41 

represented a 24% increase in litter from last 

year, the figure indicated an overall 8.51% 

decrease from the baseline established in 

2002. According to Francis Wilson, KWRB 

Chairman, “Our Litter Eradication efforts, 

such as those that target illegal dumping, work! 

Results from this study continue to help us 

pinpoint areas that are in decline, out of code 

compliance, or in need of specialized attention. 

While we experienced an increase in score this 

year, we have greatly increased the amount of 

programs offered to combat illegal dumping 

and continue our litter abatement goals.” 

According to Keep America Beautiful, the 

survey is designed to gather data annually with 

the intent to use results in development of a 

local plan to change attitudes and behaviors 

regarding litter and related community 

improvements issues. Information is used by 

Keep America Beautiful to identify national 

trends regarding community improvement 

issues. 


23

RIVERS ALIVE 

Keep Warner Robins 

Beautiful participated in the 

statewide Rivers Alive cleanup 

program. Hosting a total 

of five cleanups throughout 

the year, more than 100 

volunteers collected supplies 

and followed sections of the 

creek. Trash, limbs, and debris 

were removed, clearing the 

waterway of obstructions. 

Rivers Alive targets all 

waterways in Georgia, 

including streams, rivers, 

lakes, beaches, and wetlands. 

The mission of Rivers Alive 

is “…to create awareness 

of and involvement in the 

preservation of Georgia’s 

water resources.” You may be asking yourself, “What does 

Rivers Alive have to do with Bay Gall Creek?” That question 

can be answered asking another, “Where does our rainwater 

go?” 

Our rainwater and runoff is collected primarily by Bay 

Gall Creek and ultimately flows into the Ocmulgee River, 

which converges with Oconee and Ohoopee Rivers to form 

the Altamaha River, the largest river system east of the 

Mississippi. Although we may 

not be close neighbors with 

citizens living in Darien, its 

entire community is directly 

affected by measures that we, 

the citizens of Houston County, 

take to control stormwater 

issues. For instance, any loose 

soil, pesticides, fertilizers, 

motor oil, litter, animal waste, 

etc. generated in our area will 

find its way to the community 

of Darien, and ultimately into 

the Atlantic Ocean. It is the 

responsibility of not only our 

community, but also of each 

community between Warner 

Robins and the Atlantic 

to ensure that only what 

we would be willing to drink is what is deposited in our 

stormwater system. 

Georgia has 70,050 miles of streams and rivers that need 

our help! Our waterways provide us with fresh drinking 

water, offer recreational opportunities, and serve as a pleasant 

respite from our busy day-to-day lives. 

If your group or organization would like to become 

involved with Rivers Alive, contact kwrb@ wrga.gov or call 

478-929-7258. 


RIVERS ALIVE 

The Veterans’ High School Environmental Club cleans up the Bay Gall. 

A group of volunteers cleaning the waters of the Bay Gall Creek. 

Volunteers treck down the Bay Gall Creek, picking up litter along the way. 


25

According to the City of Warner 

Robins Stormwater Management Plan 

(SWMP), management of stormwater 

runoff has become an increasingly 

STORMWATER 

WARNER ROBINS STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PROGRAM 

Lake Joy Elementary third grade students learn about storm 

drain stenciling. 

important responsibility for local 

governments. Federal stormwater 

regulations, combined with aging 

infrastructures, have resulted in the 

development and implementation of 

a more comprehensive stormwater 

management program to address 

local drainage system issues. 

In general, all developed properties 

in Warner Robins contribute 

stormwater runoff to the public 

drainage system, and in some cases 

to recurring drainage problems. 

Stormwater runoff is rainfall that 

drains off houses, rooftops, driveways, 

sidewalks, parking areas, roads and 

other features that prohibit infiltration 

of rainfall. This runoff then flows into 

city drainage systems, as well as into 

natural streams and channels. 

Where is rainwater from our city 

eventually deposited? Our rainwater 

and runoff is collected primarily by Bay 

Gall Creek and ultimately flows into 

the Ocmulgee River, which converges 

with Oconee and Ohoopee Rivers to 

form the Altamaha River, the largest 

river system east of the Mississippi. 

To help satisfy an educational 

component of the SWMP, Keep Warner 

Robins Beautiful provides hands-on 

training to many organizations. City 

storm drains are cleared of debris, 

marked for documentation purposes 

and stenciled with the message: NO 

DUMPING, DRAINS TO CREEK. 

If you would like more information 

on this program, please contact kwrb@ 

wrga.gov or 478-call 929-7258. 


PAINT RECYCLING EVENT 

Thanks to grant funding, Keep Warner Robins Beautiful was able to offer the city’s first Paint recycling event, where 7,293 POUNDS of paint were collected. This grant also allowed for the 

collection of electronics to be recycled, bulk waste and a makeup shred day! 


27

ENVIROSCAPE 

28 2023 Keep Warner Robins Beautiful 

Throughout the State of Georgia and the nation, the realization is 

dawning: Water is our most precious resource! When you consider 

that we are drinking the SAME water the dinosaurs drank, we ALL 

live downstream, and water is NOT a renewable resource, it is easy to 

understand the need to conserve and protect our water resources. 

Since we all live downstream from someone, water pollution is 

everyone’s concern. With pollution coming from a wide variety of 

sources, it may surprise you to know there are things you can do to help 

prevent it, and to conserve and protect our water resource. 

EnviroScape is an exciting and interactive educational tool that 

addresses “point” and 

“non-point” sources of water pollution. Everybody plays, and 

everybody learns from this one-of-a-kind demonstration project. The 

portable, three-dimensional EnviroScape uses “rain” from a spray bottle 

to show pollution coming from urban, rural, and industrial areas. The 

rain carries soil (cocoa), fertilizer (candy sprinkles), and pesticides 

(powdered drink mix), and oil (chocolate syrup) downhill to a lake, 

where the effects of the pollution become plainly visible. The watershed 

model then shows ways to help prevent non-point source pollution. 

The objective of the EnviroScape presentation is to use a balanced 

approach to clearly demonstrate individual responsibility for water 

pollution and its prevention. For according to Baba Dioum, from 

Senegal, “In the end, we will conserve only what we love, we will love 

Children gather at the Perry Library for a “World Oceans Day” EnviroScape Demonstration. only what we understand, and we will understand only what we are 

taught.” 

We are pleased to report that during the school year volunteers hosted 19 demonstrations for 310 youth and 36 adults. Youth also learned the value 

of proper storm water management by assisting with the marking of 94 city storm drains. If you would like to schedule an EnviroScape or Storm 

Drain presentation for your group, school, or organization-please contact kwrb@wrga.gov or 478-929-7258. 

FLOWER SHOW 

Each year, in celebration of 

Keep America Beautiful’s Great 

American Cleanup, Keep Warner 

Robins Beautiful (KWRB) enjoys 

sponsoring the Senior Citizen 

Flower Show for members of the 

Senior Citizens Social Club. 

Cheryl Taylor, retired KWRB 

board member, chaired and emceed 

the event. Awards and prizes were 

provided by members of KWRB. 

Accredited Master Flower Show 

Judges were Donna Hunt and 

Lakesha Carter. 

Categories for the flower show 

include Cut Specimen, Floral 

Arrangement, and Container 

Grown. First through third place 

winners were selected for each 

category, with a Best of Show award 

KWRB Board Member Roman Jones is pictured with First 

as well. 

Place Floral Arrangement winner Lita Magerkurth. 

Roman Jones (KWRB) presents the Best In Show Award to 

winner Patty Panarese.

COMMUNITY SHRED DAYS 

Robins Financial Credit Union sponsored two Community Shred Days, where KWRB volunteers 

collected more than 17 tons of paper to shred! 


29

WILDFLOWER PROJECT 

Medians of Russell Parkway are in full bloom with almost thirty different species of 

wildflowers this year! 

Did you know there are at least 32,000 different kinds 

of flowering plants that grow wild in the United States? 

Wildflowers are native to where they grow, meaning they 

are conditioned to thrive there without interference. With a 

continuously declining pollinator population, wildflowers are 

more important now than ever. Keep Warner Robins Beautiful 

has partnered with Public Works and Storm Water to bring 

wildflowers to the medians of Warner Robins, starting with 

Russell Parkway! 

Why should you care about the Wildflower Project? 

The wildflower project will do so much more for the 

environment here in Warner Robins than just bringing brightly 

colored flowers to your daily drive. While these flowers will 

provide natural beauty to our town, they will benefit our 

environment in a multitude of ways. An immediate and lasting 

environmental impact will be reducing the mowing workload 

Public Works carries-a time consuming burden that comes 

with a hefty carbon footprint. However, this is not the only 

environmental impact, our native pollinators will see significant 

benefits as well. 

Over the years, as development continues to boom and 

invasive plants have been introduced, many wildflower species 

have been lost, leaving countless pollinators without a habitat. 

A devastating fact, as pollinators are a keystone species in 

every ecosystem on earth. With a third of the world’s food crops 

depending on pollinators to reproduce, restoring and enhancing 

pollinator habitat should be a goal on every city’s mind! In 

order to honor this commitment to our environment, Keep 

Warner Robins Beautiful has taken the necessary steps to have 

Warner Robins designated as a Bee City. 

Members from Public Works and Community and Economic Development mix wildflower seed with sand for an even casting. 


Help Keep Warner Robins Beautiful! 

The mission of Middle Georgia Orthopaedics is 

to provide quality healthcare for each individual 

patient. We are dedicated to providing the most 

advanced technology and effective services for all 

ORTHOPAEDIC 

SURGICAL 

DIAGNOSTIC 

and 

REHABILITATIVE 

NEEDS. 

It is our goal to effectively support and care for all 

patients as they strive to maintain a 

healthy quality of life. 

Specializing in YOU 

Scott Malone, MD 

Jeffrey Easom, DO 

Derrick Phillips, MD 

David Wiley, MD 

William Wiley, MD 

www.mgo.md 

Daxes Banit, MD 

Call Us At (478) 953-4563 or 953-4611 

3051 Watson Blvd., Warner Robins, GA 31093 1013 Main St., Perry, GA 31069

2023 Keep Warner Robins Beautiful

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