Angelina Beautiful/Clean Recognized as Gold Star Affiliate by Keep Texas Beautiful
86 Texas Communities Honored for their Exceptional Community Improvement Efforts
[Lufkin, Texas] - Keep Texas Beautiful (KTB), a statewide grassroots environmental and community improvement non-profit organization, recently named Angelina Beautiful/Clean a Gold Star Affiliate, a designation granted to 86 affiliates 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. Angelina Beautiful/Clean successfully implemented programs to clean up litter, reduce and recycle waste, educate local citizens, and beautify and enhance the local community.
"Angelina Beautiful/Clean is honored to be recognized as a Gold Star Affiliate with Keep Texas Beautiful," says Emily Thornton, Executive Director of Angelina Beautiful/Clean. "Our organization is constantly working towards our organization's vision of making Angelina County the Texas model for environmental excellence. To receive recognition for our efforts is so incredibly rewarding. Our team works hard year round to ensure that we are providing resources that can help our community members make "clean & green decisions" when it comes to waste disposal and recycling. Having the opportunity to celebrate our efforts and be recognized for our impact is so special. We would like to thank Keep Texas Beautiful for this honor and would like to thank Angelina County for allowing us to serve them since 1984. We plan on continuing to serve for years to come!"
To get involved with Angelina Beautiful/Clean, please contact Emily Thornton at 936-632-5326 or email ethornton@lufkintexas.org.