McAllen, Texas - Keep Texas Beautiful (KTB) has recognized McAllen as one of 10 winners of the 2017 Governor’s Community Achievement Awards (GCAA) for their outstanding overall efforts to keep their communities beautiful. The award is one of the most coveted annual environmental and community improvement honors in Texas. The winners will share $2 million in landscape funding from the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT); McAllen will receive $290,000.00 for a landscaping project along a local state right-of-way.
Communities submitted materials to one of 10 population categories and judges chose the winners based on their achievements in seven environmental and community improvement areas: community leadership and coordination, education, public awareness, litter prevention and cleanup, litter law and illegal dumping enforcement, beautification and community improvement, and solid waste management.
“We are absolutely ecstatic with this great honor. It is nice to see the all the hard work, support, and dedication put forth by Keep McAllen Beautiful staff, Board of Directors, hundreds of volunteers and various City of McAllen Departments has come to fruition through this recognition”, stated Chris Lash, Program Coordinator.
“I am proud that the efforts of Keep McAllen Beautiful and our community have not only continued to make our city beautiful, but also, have been recognized by the State of Texas with such a prestigious award,” said City of McAllen Mayor Jim Darling. “
The GCAA program has recognized outstanding communities for more than 30 years, with TxDOT providing landscaping funding since 1985. Keep McAllen Beautiful (KMB) and the City of McAllen will officially receive the award on Tuesday, June 13, 2017 in San Antonio during its 50th Annual Conference. Keep McAllen Beautiful is an educational non-profit organization that develops and expands the awareness of McAllen’s Citizens and visitors about littering, recycling, and promotes the beautification and preservation of McAllen’s natural beauty.
Keep Texas Beautiful, a statewide grassroots environmental and community improvement nonprofit, strives to educate and engage Texans to take responsibility for improving their community environment. KTB and its more than 390 affiliates work with government, businesses, civic groups and volunteers to ensure that every Texan has the opportunity to make Texas the cleanest, most beautiful state in the nation. For more information on programs and events, call 1-800-CLEAN-TX or visit.
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About Keep Texas Beautiful
Keep Texas Beautiful, the statewide grassroots environmental and community improvement organization and affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, educates and engages Texans to take responsibility for improving their community environment. KTB and its more than 390 affiliates work with government, businesses, civic groups, and volunteers to ensure that every Texan has the opportunity to help make Texas the cleanest, most beautiful state in the nation. This year, Keep Texas Beautiful is celebrating its 50th Anniversary as an organization. For more information or to donate, call 1-800- CLEAN-TX. visit www.ktb.org or follow along at #50YearsofKTB.
About the Texas Department of Transportation
The Texas Department of Transportation is responsible for maintaining 80,000 miles of road and for supporting aviation, rail, and public transportation across the state. Through collaboration and leadership, we deliver a safe, reliable, and integrated transportation system that enables the movement of people and goods. Find out more at txdot.gov. “Like” us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
About Keep McAllen Beautiful
Keep McAllen Beautiful implements various events and project throughout the year. Events such as the Arbor Day Celebration, where trees are donated to the public and participants can run a 10k, 5k, ride 25 miles, an educational family fun walk, or plant trees; the Great American Cleanup, an annual litter cleanup where hundreds of volunteers participate to help beautify major thoroughfares, parks and hike&bike trails. Paint McAllen Beautiful, a collaborative project with Imagine Tomorrow. All of the events and projects are administered through the support of the City of McAllen Public Works Department, as well as various other city departments and are all realized through the help of volunteers.