Keep Irving Beautiful and partners honored with state awards
Written by Phil Cerroni
Keep Irving Beautiful (KIB) received second place in their population category for the 2013 Governor’s Community Achievement Award (GCAA), as well as the Award of Sustained Excellence from Keep Texas Beautiful (KTB) for the fifth consecutive year.
KTB in partnership with the Texas Department of Transportation presents the prestigious GCAA Award to Texas communities with the best grassroots environmental programs in the state. A community’s environmental program is judged on achievements in seven different areas: community leadership and coordination, public awareness, education, beautification and community improvement, litter prevention and cleanup, solid waste management and litter law and illegal dumping enforcement. Irving has won the GCAA twice before, in 1996 and most recently in 2010. To achieve the Sustained Excellence Award, the GCAA application must score a 90 or above for a minimum of three consecutive years.
In addition, several applications submitted by KIB on behalf of their community partners also received KTB recognition as follows:
VHA, Inc. – 1st Place, Ebby Halliday and Maurice Acers Business & Industry Award
City of Irving Public Works Department – 3rd Place, Government Award
Margie Stipes – 3rd Place, O.P. Schnabel Senior Citizen Award
The Keep Texas Beautiful Awards are given to businesses, civic organizations, government departments, media outlets and individuals in recognition of their efforts to fulfill the KTB mission of “educating and engaging Texans to take responsibility for improving their environment.” Applications include documentation of leadership efforts, innovation and community involvement/impact in the main focus areas of litter prevention, beautification, recycling and environmental education.
“Awards season always serves to remind those of us on the KIB Board of what outstanding and diverse community partners we have,” Scott Wilson, KIB Board President, said. “Whether it is a national company like VHA, a local government entity like the Public Works Department, or an individual like Margie Stipes, they are all deserving of recognition. We could not do what we do as an organization without their support and the support of so many others. Receiving second place in the GCAA represents Irving’s commitment as a community to create and maintain sound environmental and beautification programs.”
All awards will be officially presented at the 46th Annual Keep Texas Beautiful State Conference in San Antonio the week of June 17-20. The conference theme this year is “Texas Today, Texas Tomorrow, Keep Texas Beautiful,” and is expected to draw hundreds of attendees from across the state.
Source: City of Irving
