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 Dickinson!

Austin, Texas - Who Keeps Texas Beautiful? HEB and Dickinson 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 Dickinson Beautiful (KDB) is one of the winning HEB communities. The $250 grant will fund a project aimed at the reforestation of Dickinson. The town is known for its tall, majestic pines, but has unfortunately lost many of these trees to housing development, hurricanes, and pine bark beetles. On Arbor Day 2002, KDB will give away saplings to the citizens of Dickinson and educate them on the importance of tree preservation. The Arbor Day poster contest for elementary students will focus on trees and the environment, and Maxim Bank will plant and dedicate three trees to Keep Dickinson Beautiful. The community wide event will be held downtown with food, drink, giveaways, and public speeches. Even the local police, their K-9 unit and volunteer firefighters will be on hand to distribute 5,000 saplings and entertain the crowds. KDB hopes to reach 4,000 people with this event, and at least a few of the 10,000 people who travel through Dickinson every other day of the year.

"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