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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Diane C. Birdwell @512-478-8813
Friday, May 25, 2001

KEEP TEXAS BEAUTIFUL ANNOUNCES ENVIRONMENTAL EXCELLENCE AWARD WINNERS
Rowlett Wins Top Award!

(Austin, Texas) - Who Keeps Texas Beautiful? The citizens of Rowlett do, that's who. Rowlett is one of nine communities presented the Governor's Community Achievement Award by Keep Texas Beautiful, Inc. (KTB) and will share $1,000,000 in landscaping prizes from the Texas Department of Transportation for excellence in community environmental programming. The City of Rowlett and Keep Rowlett Beautiful will be recognized at the 34th Annual Keep Texas Beautiful Convention in Fort Worth, June 26 - June 29, 2001 for their efforts.

Keep Rowlett Beautiful (KRB), an affiliate of Keep Texas Beautiful, had an incredible year with much of the success coming from the outstanding volunteer spirit of the citizens of Rowlett as well as strong partnerships with the City of Rowlett and its various departments to include city council members, City Manager's office, Neighborhood Services, Environmental Services Board, Code Enforcement and Economic Development. Beyond the doors of a supportive city hall, KRB partners with the chamber of commerce, schools, churches, and civic organizations to bring together one of the most successful community environmental programs in the state.

This year alone, volunteers expended a total of nearly 19,000 hours to programs in litter prevention, community beautification and property improvement, environmental education, and solid waste management. This year also brought national attention to Rowlett as Keep Rowlett Beautiful was honored with the distinguished William Nash Award from Keep America Beautiful and the city was recently named as a designated Tree City USA.

One of the most important accomplishments achieved by KRB this year was the groundbreaking ceremony for an Environmental Learning Center. The 4.8-acre site is dedicated to educating citizens, especially children, in urban forestry, solid waste management, nature and wetlands studies, and alternate energy/fuel sources and applications. The Rowlett Lions Club has pledged an amazing $80,000 towards the completion of "The Red Barn", an administration and classroom building. Two local churches, First United Methodist and First Christian Church have partnered to provide labor of the planting and construction capabilities. Many other local organizations have also committed to helping make the park a reality.

Environmental education of the community's youth is also a top priority with KRB. In fact, many refer to the efforts as "acres of education." Students in Rowlett are taught the popular Waste-in-Place curriculum developed by Keep America Beautiful, as well as participate in presentations and hands-on projects about tree survival, forest fires, ground water contamination, composting, endangered species, urban forestry, river cleanups, wildlife rehabilitation, and recycling.

This marks the 32nd Annual Governor's Community Achievement Awards, which are presented to communities in nine population categories that have the best grassroots volunteer environmental programs in the state. The communities exhibited excellence in community leadership, litter prevention, public awareness, education, solid waste management and recycling, illegal dumping enforcement and beautification. These prizes are designated for landscaping along state-maintained highways in their communities.

According to Debbie Moody, KTB board president, the quality of the entries from the communities was exceptional. "It's obvious the citizens of Rowlett are committed to environmental stewardship and to making their city the most outstanding community in Texas. This year's awards have proven that one can make a difference," she said. "One scout troop, one civic organization, or one local business can make a recognizable difference in their community."

Keep Texas Beautiful, the nonprofit state affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, strives to empower Texans through education to take responsibility for enhancing their community's environment. KTB works with volunteers, elected officials, businesses and state and federal agencies to ensure that every Texan has the opportunity to take individual responsibility for making Texas the cleanest, most beautiful state in the nation. For more information on programs and events, call 1-800-CLEAN-TX or visit the website at www.ktb.org.

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