Keep Albany-Dougherty Beautiful receives state awards

ALBANY — The Keep Albany-Dougherty Beautiful nonprofit was honored with two awards from the Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation at the state foundation’s recent 40th birthday celebration. More than 170 attendees from across Georgia celebrated Keep Georgia Beautiful and its affiliate organizations’ efforts to keep the state beautiful.

Out of over 600 affiliates in Georgia, Keep Albany-Dougherty Beautiful received the Community Beautification Award as a nonprofit/civic group and tied for first place for the Keep Georgia Beautiful Affiliate Award for the 75,001-100,000 population group. According to Bowles, the Keep Georgia Beautiful Affiliate Award is given to the most outstanding programs in the state.

An affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, the Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation works to prevent litter, reduce waste, provide water education and beautify public spaces statewide. Albany’s own affiliate, Keep Albany-Dougherty Beautiful, is no exception. Keep Albany-Dougherty Beautiful was established in 1987, nine years after the establishment of the Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation by former Georgia Gov. George Busbee.

“Our program focuses on three areas,” Keep Albany-Dougherty Beautiful Executive Director Judy Bowles said in a phone interview with The Herald. “Litter reduction, beautification and recycling.”

Bowles said that when she submits the application for awards, she focuses on the local organization’s activities within a 12-month period. Some of Keep Albany-Dougherty Beautiful’s past projects have included the planting of trees and shrubbery in storm-ravaged Tift Park (which is on the historical registry) and group trash and litter removal from around Albany, Dougherty County and the downtown area.

“Receiving these awards is an awesome feeling because it’s an award that belongs to the citizens,” Bowles said. “We have over 100,000 volunteers. We’re volunteer-driven, so the awards belong to those volunteers. Our volunteers have a hands-on approach when it comes to making Albany and Dougherty County a better place to live.

“I want to commend all of those citizens for making a difference in this community, and I would like to encourage all citizens in our community to join hands with the volunteers. We have to realize that the government cannot do everything. I encourage our citizens to adopt the block they live on and take care of it because how we look is a reflection of every one of use who lives here. If we make our community litter-free, we’re one step closer to making it crime-free.”

State officials praised the award-winning programs.

“We’re proud of the strides we’ve made toward sustainability over the last 40 years,” Natalie Johnston-Russell, executive director of the Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation, said in a press release. “It has been an honor welcoming members of our network to celebrate this milestone together.”

Keep Georgia Beautiful celebrated its 40th birthday with the awards luncheon whose focus was on the accomplishments of its affiliates. The affiliate network is made up of 78 local programs that serve 80 percent of Georgia’s population.

“It’s exciting to consider the scale and impact of our affiliates over the last four decades,” Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation Board President Michael Power said in a press release. “None of it would be possible without the individuals, schools, corporations, nonprofits and government agencies that come together to improve our communities.”