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 Southlake!

Austin, Texas - Who Keeps Texas Beautiful? HEB and Southlake 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 Southlake Beautiful (KSB) is one of the winning HEB communities. The $250 grant will fund the installation of native trees and a geology exhibit at the Durham Elementary School outdoor wildscape. Science teacher Debra Heath uses this outdoor garden area to teach students through the butterfly/ hummingbird habitat, garden area, and native grasses habitat. The new addition will add to the outdoor classroom by providing hands-on learning opportunities. Native trees have been selected for their size and their flowering and berry or seed producing properties to provide food for birds, as well as providing shelter and beauty. Igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rock boulders will be installed so students may touch and even sit on them while learning about geology. This project will reach approximately 500 students at Durham Elementary through the science lab each 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.