The operations of the Keep America Beautiful (KAB) Commission of Meridian and Lauderdale County were detailed by Sharon Smith, coordinator, at a recent meeting of the Meridian Council of Garden Clubs and the Forget-Me-Not Garden Club.

Smith explained how the local affiliate impacts the area, and how groups as well as individuals can clean up and help keep our communities clean and environmentally safe.

KAB conducted more than 17 projects this year, with 118,140 volunteer hours recorded. The clean-up projects netted more than 1,308,000 pounds of collected debris and 750,000 pounds of recycled goods, and 200 miles of streets and roadway were cleaned. More than 411 tires were collected for recycling in one day during the Great American Cleanup in April.

The commission provided Halloween candy and litter bags for younger elementary students in the city and county schools during October. The bags served as a reminder to children and adults to deposit candy wrappers in the trash, Smith said.

Cigarette Litter Prevention is another program sponsored by the local KAB affiliate. Smith said the affiliate is not making a statement on cigarettes, just keeping cigarette butts off streets and out of storm drains. She explained why it mattered, noting the amount of pollution these cause.

The Keep America Beautiful Meridian and Lauderdale County has partnered with the Alzheimer’s Association to recycle printer cartridges. The recycle campaign will help keep cartridges out of landfills, while benefiting a worthy cause.

The commission will once again sponsor project grants for civic and church groups who work with youth groups. The purpose of the grants is to educate in gardening and beautification projects in Meridian and Lauderdale County.

Although limited in funding, KAB promotes a clean city and county all year, not just during April. Smith encouraged individuals and groups to help clean up litter at anytime during the year. The Keep America Beautiful office number is (601)485-1996 or e-mail at kab@meridianms.org.

Yearbooks were distributed by Council President Paula Gayson and Forget-Me-Not President Helen Gough. Projects for the year include garden therapy with residents at Beverly Living Center, gardening and butterfly projects with fourth-grade students at Calvary Christian School, and Arbor Day, Earth Day and National Garden Week projects at the Lauderdale County Welcome Center.

A report was presented on the Garden Clubs of Mississippi and the state flower show in Oxford. Those participating from Meridian were Melinda Causey, Helen Gough, Paula Grayson and Marian Gullette. Special guests at the flower show was Mary Summerville, director of the Deep South Region of the National Garden Clubs.

A reception was held in honor of Summerville and her husband at the Magnolia Place, the Oxford home of Ann Turnbow, president of Garden Clubs of Mississippi.



• Report submitted by Paula Grayson