Keep Texas Beautiful (KTB), a statewide grassroots environmental and community improvement non-profit organization, recently named Keep Irving Beautiful (KIB) a Gold Star Affiliate, a designation granted to 86 of KTB’s nearly 300 affiliates. Gold Star recognition is the membership recognition highest status any community affiliate can achieve.
In 2004, the organization introduced the concept of Gold Star recognition to reward those communities who sought to go above and beyond the established requirements. To remain in good standing with KTB, community affiliates must submit a report, pay dues, attend training and participate in a KTB-endorsed activity annually.
To achieve Gold Star status, affiliates must share information on their mission and goals, answer questions about their economic development and diversity and inclusion practices or participate in the Beautify Texas Awards or Governor’s Community Achievement Awards programs, and provide a letter of support from their community. KTB will formally recognize Gold Star communities during its 55th Annual Conference in June.
“Our affiliates are the backbone of our organization. We are proud to honor those going above and beyond to keep their communities clean and beautiful,” says Suzanne Kho, Executive Director of Keep Texas Beautiful. “Our Gold Star Affiliates are educating and engaging community members, actively recruiting and managing volunteers, hosting cleanup and beautification events throughout their community and so much more.”
In 2021 alone, KTB affiliates engaged 41,550 volunteers who contributed 190,094 hours to collect 3.25 million pounds of waste and recyclables from Texas roadways, trails, and waterways. Keep Irving Beautiful successfully implemented programs to clean up litter, reduce and recycle waste, educate local citizens, and beautify and enhance the local community. Working with all sectors of the community, KIB’s 2021 totals were 5,665 volunteers, 8.081 volunteer hours, 18,698 pounds of trash and recyclables collected in cleanups, and 133 trees planted in public spaces.
“Maintaining the Gold Star level with Keep Texas Beautiful is very important to our organization,” said KIB President Scott Wilson. “It shows the commitment we have to this community and to our state affiliate, but it also reflects the dedication of our volunteers in helping us to keep Irving clean, green and beautiful.”
About Irving
The City of Irving ranks #1 per capita among cities with at least 5 Fortune 500 corporate headquarters with a population greater than 100,000. Centrally located in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, Irving continues to attract top talent from around the world.
About Keep Texas Beautiful
Keep Texas Beautiful (KTB) is a non-profit organization dedicated to making Texas the best place to live, work, and play by deploying resources for community improvement projects, clean-ups, and youth engagement efforts across the state. Through our Keep Texas Recycling program, we provide assistance and education to support recycling in rural and underserved communities.
Everything we do is focused on mobilizing volunteers to take action by providing them with tools, resources, and training. Our fieldwork includes research on best practices for litter reduction along with the development of community programs to prevent the flow of litter to the Gulf.
Founded in 1967, Keep Texas Beautiful’s work is driven by its network of nearly 300 affiliate member communities, volunteers, and supporters that reach 17 million Texans annually. For more information and to find your closest affiliate, visit www.ktb.org.
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