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Keep Katy Beautiful to receive national accolades for community programs
By AUDREY M. MARKS
Several members of Keep Katy Beautiful will head to our nation's Capitol to receive national awards for the work they've done in the community to reduce litter and promote environmentally beneficial programs.
The organization will receive at least two awards, a distinguished service citation for a city with 50,000 residents or less and a cash award for Katy's cigarette litter prevention program, during the national Keep America Beautiful luncheon.
Last year Keep Katy Beautiful received a grant to help eliminate litter from tossed cigarette butts.
“It's amazing how much litter there is when you look around at intersections,” Jamie Wolman, community specialist for Katy's Parks & Recreation Department.
She said the city did a scan of areas in the community that have heavy cigarette litter and determined they could make a difference at the VFW Park near the VFW Hall.
People “have so many huge activities” at the VFW Park it gets a lot of cigarette litter, Wolman said.
With the $1,000 grant Katy bought 11 skinny pole ash receptacles to encourage people to properly dispose of their cigarette butts.
Wolman said after a second scan of the area, the amount of litter was reduced by 55 percent.
Additionally, Keep America Beautiful donated more than 1,000 individual pocket size ashtrays the city has placed at the police and fire departments, post office, and city offices.
Wolman estimates out of the 1,000 pocket ashtrays they only have about 100 left.
Katy could also pick up another cash award for collecting the most cell phones in a city under 50,000 to be recycled.
On Sept. 30, residents have donated more than 300 phones, but Wolman said they are being cautious about the competition.
“At any point someone could get ahead,” she said.
The awards luncheon will be held during the 55th annual Keep America Beautiful National Conference from Dec. 3 through Dec. 5.
The organization will receive at least two awards, a distinguished service citation for a city with 50,000 residents or less and a cash award for Katy's cigarette litter prevention program, during the national Keep America Beautiful luncheon.
Last year Keep Katy Beautiful received a grant to help eliminate litter from tossed cigarette butts.
“It's amazing how much litter there is when you look around at intersections,” Jamie Wolman, community specialist for Katy's Parks & Recreation Department.
She said the city did a scan of areas in the community that have heavy cigarette litter and determined they could make a difference at the VFW Park near the VFW Hall.
People “have so many huge activities” at the VFW Park it gets a lot of cigarette litter, Wolman said.
With the $1,000 grant Katy bought 11 skinny pole ash receptacles to encourage people to properly dispose of their cigarette butts.
Wolman said after a second scan of the area, the amount of litter was reduced by 55 percent.
Additionally, Keep America Beautiful donated more than 1,000 individual pocket size ashtrays the city has placed at the police and fire departments, post office, and city offices.
Wolman estimates out of the 1,000 pocket ashtrays they only have about 100 left.
Katy could also pick up another cash award for collecting the most cell phones in a city under 50,000 to be recycled.
On Sept. 30, residents have donated more than 300 phones, but Wolman said they are being cautious about the competition.
“At any point someone could get ahead,” she said.
The awards luncheon will be held during the 55th annual Keep America Beautiful National Conference from Dec. 3 through Dec. 5.
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