CITY EARNS DESIGNATION AS
‘KEEP AMERICA BEAUTIFUL’ AFFILIATE
Harrisburg, PA – Mayor Stephen R. Reed was today presented with an official certification designating the City of Harrisburg as an affiliate of the national Keep America Beautiful (KAB) organization. In earning the designation, deemed locally as the ‘Keep Harrisburg Beautiful’ campaign, the City of Harrisburg joins 1,000 other affiliates nationwide to receive such certification this year.
Reed said Keep America Beautiful is a national organization comprised of local and statewide affiliated organizations. The organization’s mission is "to engage individuals to take greater responsibility to improve their community environment." The organization, which was founded in 1953, today encompasses litter prevention, beautification, community improvement, and waste reduction through diverse programs, volunteerism, educational initiatives, cutting edge tools and creative solutions.
Keep America Beautiful and its affiliates also work to change the behavior of citizens to improve communities. The organization is guided by the three key principles of individual responsibility, education, and action by public-private partnerships through volunteerism.
Through the certification process, Reed said the ‘Keep Harrisburg Beautiful’ campaign was given the opportunity to apply for a $10,000 grant in partnership with Wilsbach Distributors, Inc., for a Tree Well project in South Allison Hill. Keep Harrisburg Beautiful’s entry was chosen as one of only six grant winners selected from 46 entries received by both Keep American Beautiful and wholesalers across the country.
The Mayor also acknowledged Giant Food Corporation’s donation of ten park benches to the Keep Harrisburg Beautiful campaign which were announced today by Giant officials. These benches will be placed in community green spaces as well as playgrounds throughout the City. Two of the benches are currently located in front of the King City Government Center.
"We are honored by the generous donations that have already been awarded to the Keep Harrisburg Beautiful campaign," Reed said. "This is a testimony to the strong commitment that businesses and organizations have on improving the environment and quality of life that we all share."
The Mayor additionally said that as part of the Keep Harrisburg Beautiful campaign, Jump Street and AND! Magazine assisted in a logo contest in conjunction with students from the Harrisburg School District’s Career & Technology Academy. Students in the 9th and 10th grades submitted logos to be used as part of the Keep Harrisburg Beautiful Campaign. These twelve graphic design students of Roderick Hood, a first-year graphic design teacher, created 16 logos. The top three choices were created by 9th grade students Alexander Arce and Benny Lester and 10th Grade student Quincy Neely-Lewis, and each of these designs has been incorporated into the official Keep Harrisburg Beautiful logo. The winners received $25 dollar Visa Gift Cards and the other students received appreciation tokens, all from Commerce Bank / Harrisburg, NA and the City’s Department of Parks & Recreation.
"The ideal of making Harrisburg more beautiful is more than just a slogan or logo," said Mayor Reed. "It is a personal commitment to adhere to both choices and actions that preserve natural beauty, protect the environment, prevent blight, improve public lands, and make our communities better, safer places to live."
The Mayor said the comprehensive approach adopted by the Keep America Beautiful organization was created with the help of behavioral scientists who worked to get to the root of why people mistreat the environment and created a method to transform those behaviors into responsive action. Through the pre-certification process, community leaders have analyzed what efforts are currently aimed at the community environment and where there is need for different means to address specific challenges.
"The Keep Harrisburg Beautiful campaign will engage individuals and organizations to take responsibility for keeping Pennsylvania’s Capital City clean, green and beautiful. The campaign will be a cornerstone for community revitalization, conservation and economic development and will deliver tools to create positive change in key areas affecting our quality of life," Reed said.
To learn more about the Keep Harrisburg Beautiful campaign or to become involved, contact Kari Reagan-Bushey in the City’s Department of Building and Housing Development at 717-255-6402 or email kreaganbushey@cityofhbg.com.
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