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

KEEP TEXAS BEAUTIFUL ANNOUNCES HEB ENVIRONMENTAL EXCELLENCE GRANTS
HEB funds environmental project in Denton!

Austin, Texas - Who Keeps Texas Beautiful? HEB and Denton do. As the largest independently owned grocery chain in the United States, HEB joined with Keep Texas Beautiful to award funding to 16 Texas communities for outstanding grassroots environmental programs. The grants are being announced in conjunction with Make a Difference Day, which is Saturday, October 27, 2001.

Keep Denton Beautiful (KDB) is one of the winning HEB communities. The $250 grant will fund the ongoing 'Can It!' anti-litter campaign, targeting 16-24 year olds in the community. Developed in collaboration with a TWU Visual Arts and Media class, the effort has produced posters to be displayed at numerous local events. 'Can It!' decals are being developed for placement on trash receptacles in all city parks. An anti-litter page with the "Can It!' theme will be added to the Keep Denton Beautiful website this fall. In addition, KDB is working with the Parks and Recreation Department to require that all events in Denton parks be litter free. By promoting their message through t-shirts, decals, posters, bumper stickers, banners and more, KDB is well on its way to reaching the goal of raising litter awareness in the community.

"Keep Texas Beautiful is very fortunate to have a partner as environmentally proactive as HEB is," said Bill Rogers, President of Keep Texas Beautiful. "HEB has a longstanding reputation of adopting many voluntary measures to save energy and water, prevent pollution, and reduce waste within its facilities. Now they've reached out to make an environmental commitment to the grassroots efforts of communities in Texas."

Reagan Wagner, Environmental Affairs Project Leader with HEB, commented on the importance of working with environmental grassroots efforts. "If we're going to make a positive difference in our environment, everyone needs to do their part, " he said. "Through this grant program with Keep Texas Beautiful, we're able to provide much needed funds to communities so they can create or expand their local environmental programs."

Keep Texas Beautiful, the nonprofit state affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, strives to empower Texans through education to take responsibility for enhancing their community 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.

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