Keep Manatee Beautiful Honored at
2009 National Keep America Beautiful Conference

Local Representatives Earn Recognition for Volunteer Cigarette Litter Prevention Efforts

Bradenton, Florida (December 22, 2009) – Keep Manatee Beautiful was honored on December 4 at this year’s annual Keep America Beautiful National Conference for distinguishing itself as an exemplary volunteer organization. Taking second place in the first-time implementation category, the organization was honored for its outstanding Cigarette Litter Prevention Program and won $2,000 to further implement this program in Manatee County.

Keep Manatee Beautiful also received the 2009 Keep America Beautiful President’s Circle Recognition Award. A six-time award recipient since the President’s Circle Award inception in 2003, Keep Manatee Beautiful was recognized for its high performance achieved in 2009 against Keep America Beautiful’s standards of excellence in litter prevention, waste reduction, beautification and community improvement.

The 56th Annual Keep America Beautiful National Conference, held in Washington, D.C., brought together award-winning affiliates and organizations from across the country to share best practices and celebrate the successes of the last 12 months. The KAB National Cigarette Litter Prevention Program awards are open to all affiliate participants for their cigarette butt litter reduction efforts during 2009. The honored organizations are those who addressed and implemented the program’s four key strategies: encourage support of litter laws that include cigarette litter; raise awareness about the issue using public service messages; place ash receptacles at transition points such as entrances to public buildings; and distribute pocket ashtrays to adult smokers.

“Cigarette butt litter is the most-littered item in America,” said Matthew McKenna, president and CEO of Keep America Beautiful, Inc. “Communities like Keep Manatee Beautiful are truly exceptional, because they are cleaning up cigarette butts one street and shoreline at a time while educating their local communities about cigarette butt litter.”

“On behalf of the citizens of Manatee County, I am thrilled to receive this award in our nation’s capital.” said Ingrid McClellan, Executive Director of Keep Manatee Beautiful. “We will keep working to curb cigarette litter and educate our neighbors about its harmful effects.”

Photo caption: Keep Manatee Beautiful’s Board of Directors back row from left: Mickey Lutz (Manatee Co. Gov.), Maj. Frank Gargett (Florida Dept. of Juvenile Justice), Mike Bridges (Waste Management), Lt. Rick Wells (Manatee Co. Sheriff’s Office), Darrell Turner (Turner Tree & Landscape), Fred Heger (City of Holmes Beach), Past Chairman Bob Goodwin, Tim Eiseler (City of Anna Maria), Damon Moore (WilsonMiller) and Raymond Callahan (Florida Dept. of Transportation). Center row from left: Jorge Acevedo (De Soto National Memorial), Uganda Cherry (Boys & Girls Clubs), Jim Black (Florida Power & Light Company), Julianne Marik (Ad-VANCE Talent Solutions), John Pugh (Bright House Networks), Tammy Kovar (Biological Tree Services), Allen Tusing (City of Palmetto) and Gary Kinder (City of Bradenton). Front row from left: Vice Chairman Frank Brunner (Manatee High School), Chairman Patrick Gallagher (School District of Manatee Co.), Secretary Sandi Allison (Tropicana), Treasurer Keith Banasiak (Waste Pro) and Executive Director Ingrid McClellan.