Employees from the Irving office of Kimley-Horn started 2021 by volunteering with Keep Irving Beautiful (KIB) Jan. 15 in a company-wide service day. Kimley-Horn, one of the nation’s leading planning and design consulting firms, begins each year with its annual company “Kickoff.” The event focuses on employees’ plans for the new year, as well as reinforcing a commitment to the communities they serve. Employees from Kimley-Horn’s 16 offices in Texas and Oklahoma had the opportunity to participate in both virtual and in-person volunteer events.

Adhering to the guidelines for group size, nine Kimley-Horn employees were partnered with KIB for an afternoon of service. The group met for a cleanup at Bird’s Fort Trail Park along Irving’s Campion Trail. Working in groups of two or more, the volunteers concentrated primarily along the tree line next to the Elm Fork of the Trinity River. Volunteers collected litter that had accumulated from recent wind and rains. During a combined 18 hours of service, the teams brought collection bags to a central location and weighed the record amount: 157.5 pounds of trash and recyclables.

“Keep Irving Beautiful is always happy to welcome new corporate volunteers, like Kimley-Horn, that place a high value on giving back to local communities,” said KIB board member Karen Harmon. “Volunteering together in nature provides both physical and mental benefits and improves the visual appearance of the area. Kimley-Horn volunteers not only helped to keep the park clean, but also saw some of Bird’s Fort Trail’s great amenities, such as the new canoe launch and revitalized butterfly garden.”

Keep Irving Beautiful is a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating the community about litter abatement, recycling, and beautification to help preserve the health and promote the social and economic prosperity of the city. As an award-winning affiliate of Keep America Beautiful and Keep Texas Beautiful, Keep Irving Beautiful reaches out to all sectors of the community, including government, businesses, churches, as well as cultural, educational, neighborhood and civic organizations. For more information on volunteering with KIB or making an activity a “green event,” visit CityofIrving.org/KIB or call (972) 721-2175.