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KIB Partners with Connectrac for Community Service Day

 

 

(IRVING, TEXAS)— On Nov. 16, Keep Irving Beautiful (KIB) welcomed 22 Connectrac employee volunteers to Trinity View Park, 2221 E. State Highway 356, for a service project. They conducted a cleanup of Trinity View and the neighboring River Hills Park. The group’s combined efforts accounted for a total of 66 volunteer service hours. The group collected 182 pounds of trash and 142 pounds of recyclable material, preventing it from reaching the Elm Fork of the Trinity River, which forms the eastern border of the parks.

 

A brand of the Legrand industrial group, Dallas-headquartered Connectrac specializes in floor-based power and data distribution systems. Their founder’s vision of the Connectrac work culture is to be positive and energetic, be open-minded, think creatively, and care for each other and the community.

 

“KIB was happy to welcome Connectrac back to Irving,” said KIB board member Kely Horn. “We first collaborated with them on a project at Trinity View prior to the pandemic and have been looking forward to scheduling with Connectrac again. While we typically work with companies here in Irving, we certainly welcome groups from any location who want to help. Connectrac’s offices are just a few blocks away on the Dallas side of this river, so we share a common interest in taking care of this important waterway.”

 

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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.

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KIB Partners with Vizient for 20th Annual Community Day

 

 

(IRVING, TEXAS)— On Oct. 10, Keep Irving Beautiful (KIB) welcomed 24 Vizient, Inc. employee volunteers to Trinity View Park, 2221 E. State Highway 356, for the company’s 20th annual “Community Day” event. The volunteers gave a fresh look to the fencing and pavilion near the newly installed playscape by brightening the structures with a fresh coat of paint. The group’s combined efforts accounted for a total of 72 volunteer service hours.

 

Vizient, Inc., the largest member-owned healthcare company in the nation, is headquartered in Irving. Community Day is a company-wide initiative, which encourages employees to participate in service projects with nonprofits in the areas where they work. Vizient employees worked with more than 100 organizations in 42 cities across the country for Community Day.

 

KIB has been a community partner since 2009, and Vizient employee volunteers have completed projects throughout the city which have made a lasting and positive impact on the visual appearance of many Irving parks.

 

“Keep Irving Beautiful is proud to have been chosen as a Vizient community partner again this year,” said KIB board member Rachel Moon. “Community Day is an event we always look forward to, and we really enjoy seeing many of the same volunteers sign up for the KIB team year after year.  They are a great group to work with, and always go above and beyond whatever is asked of them.”

 

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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.

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KIB Celebrates 32nd Annual Trash Bash

428 Volunteers Participate at T.W. Richardson Grove

 

(IRVING, TEXAS)— T.W. Richardson Grove Park, 333 E. Interstate Highway 635, was the site of the Keep Irving Beautiful (KIB) 32nd Annual Trash Bash, the organization’s signature cleanup event. A total of 428 volunteers gathered at the park on Sept. 23, with a focus of stopping litter from reaching the nearby Elm Fork of the Trinity River. The volunteers totaled 1,284 hours of service and collected 1,680 pounds of trash and 660 pounds of recyclables.

 

Mayor Rick Stopfer officially proclaimed Sept. 23 as “Trash Bash Day in Irving.”  The event also was part of National Public Lands Day when thousands of volunteers engaged in similar projects across the country.

 

KIB partnered with Crisis Ministries of Irving for their annual canned food drive during the city’s Trash Bash event. Volunteers who brought a food donation received a KIB T-shirt. A total of 810 pounds of food was collected to benefit those the local community.

 

Following the cleanup, volunteers from Nueva Vida Church prepared and served beef and veggie hot dogs, and chips were donated by Frito-Lay.   KIB volunteers also served a variety of I Fratelli pizzas to the hungry crowd.

 

During the event, attendees had the opportunity to visit a variety of vendors at the park. The City of Irving Water Utilities shared fun facts about water conservation. The Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas offered STEM activities and program information at their table, while two scouts working on their Silver Badges presented material on mental health. Irving Flood Control District III, Level Pathways, and Well Med all had information tables.  The Irving Public Library returned for a second year to present three performances of a puppet show, while the City of Irving Urban Forestry team helped volunteers pot tree seedlings to take home. 

 

Several city departments helped make Trash Bash a success, including Parks and Recreation, Solid Waste Services, Water Utilities and Communications.  Representatives of the Irving Fire Department were present to answer questions about the IFD, and help distribute giveaway items to the volunteers. The Singley Academy Police Explorers directed traffic and kept the parking procedure safe and efficient. The Young Men’s Service League – Irving Hawks Chapter distributed supplies at the registration tables and helped with food service.

   

KIB Board President Scott Wilson, who provided safety instructions to the volunteers prior to the cleanup, shared his thoughts about the event. “The Trash Bash is KIB’s biggest volunteer event of the year,” said Wilson. “Since 1992, this has been an outstanding opportunity for volunteers to work together to help make our community cleaner and greener.  On behalf of the KIB Board and staff, I want to thank everyone who came out to help make this event a success.”

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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/284/Keep-Irving-Beautiful or call (972) 721-2175.

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KIB to Celebrate 32nd Annual Trash Bash

Volunteers Invited to Register Online or Participate Virtually

 

(IRVING, TEXAS)—  Keep Irving Beautiful (KIB) will celebrate the 32nd  annual Trash Bash from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Sept. 23 at T.W. Richardson Grove Park, 333 E. Interstate Highway 635. Volunteers will focus their efforts on North Campion Trail and surrounding area, with the goal of keeping litter from reaching the Elm Fork of the Trinity River. The cleanup will be held on National Public Lands Day, traditionally the nation’s largest single-day volunteer event, and will be part of Keep Texas Beautiful’s “Fall Sweep.”

 

KIB will provide litter pickers, gloves, trash and recycle bags. In addition to the cleanup, volunteers will have the opportunity to visit a variety of educational and entertaining exhibits to learn about water conservation, participate in STEM activities, play disc golf, or enjoy a puppet show.  Lunch will be provided, with a vegetarian option, after the cleanup.

 

Volunteers are encouraged to bring canned or other nonperishable food items to benefit Crisis Ministries of Irving Food Pantry in downtown Irving. Those who donate will receive a T-shirt, while supplies last.

 

Additionally, volunteers can conduct their own cleanups at a safe Irving location of their choice to “virtually” participate in the event. Groups should report their cleanup efforts to KIB by posting pictures and data on their social media pages using #IrvingTrashBash2023.  Online registration is not required for the virtual option.

 

“Our tradition of holding the Trash Bash on National Public Lands Day and in conjunction with the statewide Fall Sweep makes our volunteers feel that they are part of a much bigger picture,” said KIB President Scott Wilson.  “While our primary goal is to pick up litter and keep it from reaching the waterway, the addition of educational and interactive activities will make this event more than just a cleanup. We encourage Irving residents to join us at T.W. Richardson Grove, or for those who are participating remotely, we look forward to seeing their photos on social media.”

 

Residents participating in the T.W. Richardson Grove Park cleanup should register online by Saturday, Sept. 16 . For more information, visit cityofirving.org/KIB, or call the KIB office at (972) 721-2175.

 

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.

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Keep Irving Beautiful Partners with Pacific Dental Services

Group Conducts Cleanup at T.W. Richardson Grove Park

 

(IRVING, TEXAS)— Keep Irving Beautiful (KIB) recently partnered with Pacific Dental Services for a cleanup at T.W. Richardson Grove Park,  333 E. I-635, on August 19.  They gathered at the park early Saturday morning for their day of service.  After receiving safety instructions, they set out in small groups, working together to help keep litter from reaching the nearby Elm Fork of the Trinity River.

 

A total of 22 adults and 3 youths combined for 75 volunteer hours.  By focusing their efforts on the tree lines near the river, they group collected 101 pounds of trash and 17 pounds of recyclable materials.

 

This event was part of Pacific Dental Services’ 13th annual “Smile Generation Serve Day,” an initiative to provide donated dental care to underserved patients, as well as engage their offices across the country in local service projects.

 

“It is always a pleasure for KIB to welcome new partners for service projects,” said KIB Board member Kelly Horn. “The Irving office of Pacific Dental Services reached out to KIB and we were happy to provide an opportunity for their employees to volunteer and give back to the community.  They did an outstanding job, and we hope to work with them again.”

 

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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.

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KEEP IRVING BEAUTIFUL PRESENTS ANNUAL AWARDS

Local Community Members Honored at Ceremony

 

(IRVING, TEXAS)— The annual Mayor and Keep Irving Beautiful (KIB) Awards ceremony was held on August 7 at the Jack D. Huffman Community Building.   Guests were first greeted and signed in by Elouise McMillian and Karen Harmon, and  then had the opportunity to tour the Irving Archives and Museum prior to the ceremony.  Randy Lemerand of Spirit Grille catered the appetizer buffet, which guests enjoyed at tables featuring centerpieces created by Nancy Ard.  T.J. Friedel provided photography for the event, and Irving Community Television Network was present to interview guests for a future story on the event. 

KIB Treasurer Jim Scrivner began the ceremony by providing a brief overview of KIB’s accomplishments, including the President’s Circle Award and two National Innovations Awards from Keep America Beautiful, and the Gold Star and Sustained Excellence from Keep Texas Beautiful.  He gave special recognition to Sammy Romero, who earlier in the year had received the highest honor from Keep America Beautiful – the Lady Bird Johnson Award as outstanding volunteer in the nation. He then introduced Cathy Whiteman, returning as emcee for the twelfth consecutive year, and Honorary Chair Mayor Rick Stopfer for the presentation of the following awards:

Youth Leadership: Nimitz High School DECA

Educator:  Lori Delacruz Lewis, Dallas College - North Lake

Business and Industry:  Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas

Business and Industry:  Lamberti’s Ristorante

Media:  94.9 KLTY FM Radio

Faith Group:  Nueva Vida Internacional Church

Nonprofit Organization:  Valley Ranch Green CLub

Government:  City of Irving Health Inspectors

Civil Servant: Officer Stephanie Straw, Irving Police Department

KIB Hometown:  Fatema Biviji

Margie Stipes Lifetime Achievement:  Kay Branch 

“Everyone at Keep Irving Beautiful looks forward to this event,” said KIB Board President Scott Wilson. “We know that we could not accomplish all the things we do without the efforts of those who support and volunteer with the organization.  It’s a pleasure to make a special effort to pay tribute to these award winners, and to everyone who makes a positive impact in the Irving community each year.”

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, KIB 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/284/Keep-Irving-Beautiful or call (972) 721-2175.

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Keep Irving Beautiful Partners with Dallas College North Lake Campus

Student Government Association Conducts Cleanup

 

(IRVING, TEXAS)— Keep Irving Beautiful (KIB) recently partnered with the Student Government Association (SGA) of Dallas College North Lake Campus for a cleanup at the Rock Island Road Bike and Pedestrian Trail on July 13.  They met at the KIB office, directly across the street from the trail. After receiving supplies and safety instructions, the volunteers set out for the trail on a beautiful summer morning.

 

The group worked together, concentrating their efforts on the tree lines near the trail.  Together they completed 12 hours of service and collected 35 pounds of trash and recyclable materials, helping to make this popular trail cleaner and greener.

 

“The Dallas College North Lake Campus students and staff have a long history of partnering with Keep Irving Beautiful,” said KIB Board member Dr. Vu, the SGA faculty sponsor. “Groups like Service Learning, Phi Theta Kappa and the Green Club, as well as the SGA, have contributed many hours of service in KIB projects.  It was a pleasure to join the students today for this cleanup, and we hope to do more projects in the future.”

 

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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.

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Keep Irving Beautiful Partners with Verizon

Group Conducts Cleanup at T.W. Richardson Grove Park

 

(IRVING, TEXAS)— Keep Irving Beautiful (KIB) recently partnered with employee volunteers from Verizon for a cleanup at T.W. Richardson Grove Park, 333 E. Interstate Highway 635, on May 2.  It was a beautiful spring morning for the group to take time away from the office to join KIB for this service project.  After receiving supplies and safety instructions, the 31 volunteers set out in groups of two or more to collect litter. 

 

At KIB cleanups,  keeping litter from reaching the Elm Fork of the Trinity River is always a primary focus.  The Verizon group did just that as they concentrated their efforts on the tree lines along the Campion Trail, as well as the areas beneath the interstate.  The group completed 62 volunteer hours, while collecting 174.5 pounds of trash and 62 pounds of recyclable materials.

 

“Verizon and KIB have a long history of working together in projects like this,” said KIB Board member Margie Stipes. “Verizon has very active “Green Teams” here in Irving and at their locations across the world which engage thousands of employees to give back to their local communities.  It’s always a pleasure to welcome Verizon employees because they really care about the projects and give their best effort.”

 

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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.

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Keep Irving Beautiful Recognized as Gold Star Affiliate by Keep Texas Beautiful

One of 82 Texas Communities Honored for Exceptional Community Improvement Efforts

 

- Keep Texas Beautiful (KTB), a statewide grassroots environmental and community improvement non-profit organization, was recently named Keep Irving Beautiful (KIB) a Gold Star Affiliate. Gold Star is the highest recognition highest status any community affiliate can achieve.

 

“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 2022, KTB affiliates engaged 178,648 volunteers who contributed 78,955 hours to collect 2.4 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 their work beautifies and enhances the local community.

 

As the local affiliate of Keep Texas Beautiful, KIB hosted activities which engaged 8,078 volunteers who contributed 10.866 hours of service.  They collected 24,726 pounds of trash and recyclables in cleanups, enhanced the visual appeal of several parks with paint projects, and helped to plant 29 trees in public spaces.

 

KIB Board President Scott Wilson credited volunteers for the success of the organization.  “KIB accomplishes so much in the Irving community, and we could not do that without the dedication of our volunteers,” said Wilson.  “We are proud to be a Keep Texas Beautiful affiliate, and it is important to us to strive for the highest levels of achievement.  We thank KTB for this honor.”

 

In 2004, KTB introduced the concept of Gold Star recognition to recognize 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 additionally 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. They also must provide a letter of support from their community.  KTB will formally recognize Gold Star communities during the KTB Conference on June 26-28, 2023.

 

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About Keep Irving Beautiful

 

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.

 

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! Our mission is to inspire and empower Texans to make their communities clean and beautiful. We provide resources for community improvement projects, clean-ups, and youth engagement efforts across the state. Our Keep Texas Recycling program provides technical assistance, education, and access to markets to increase 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 of Mexico.

 

Founded in 1967, Keep Texas Beautiful’s work is driven by its network of affiliate members, communities, volunteers, and supporters that span the state, and reach 17 million Texans annually.

 

For more information and to find your closest affiliate, visit www.ktb.org. Follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

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KEEP IRVING BEAUTIFUL SEEKS NOMINATIONS FOR ANNUAL AWARDS

“Mayor and KIB Awards” Honor Irving’s Difference Makers

 

(IRVING, TEXAS) - Keep Irving Beautiful is asking for nominations to be submitted for the 2023 “Mayor and KIB Annual Awards.”  These awards honor local individuals, organizations and businesses that have gone above and beyond in making significant contributions towards making Irving a better place to live, work, play or visit.  KIB will recognize the winners at a reception on Monday, August 7.  Categories include:

  • Youth Leadership
  • Educator
  • Faith Group
  • Civic/Nonprofit Organization
  • Business and Industry
  • Media
  • Margie Stipes Lifetime Achievement
  • Civil Servant
  • Government
  • KIB Hometown

 

Detailed descriptions of each award, a list of previous year’s winners, and the current nomination form can be found by going to www.keepirvingbeautiful.org. Nominations can be submitted online, or can be downloaded, printed, and mailed to the KIB office at: 

Keep Irving Beautiful, 3000 Rock Island Road, Irving, TX 75060.

For more information, please contact KIB at 972-721-2175, or email info@rockthegreen.org.

 

Nominations must be received by Friday, June 9, 2023.

 

Keep Irving Beautiful is a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating our community about litter abatement, recycling, and beautification to help preserve the health and promote the social and economic prosperity of our city. As an award-winning affiliate of Keep America Beautiful and Keep Texas Beautiful, Keep Irving Beautiful reaches out to all sectors of our city including government, business, church, cultural, educational, neighborhood and civic organizations.  If you are interested in volunteering with KIB, or making your activity a “green event,” please go to Keep Irving Beautiful, or call (972) 721-2175.