Awards Received |

Keep Loup Basin Beautiful Awarded Plants for National Planting Day

Keep Loup Basin Beautiful (KLBB) was chosen, out of many applicants, to be a recipient of plants by Dickinson’s Witchhazel and Keep America Beautiful (KAB) for National Planting Day. National Planting Day was officially September 9, 2017, however, planting events are welcome to be held throughout the month of September. KLBB was notified September 5, 2017 that their pollinator garden plants were being shipped for the event!!

The Bud’s and Blooms Garden Club met September 12, 2017 and volunteered to plant the four plant species (Hamamelis virginiana, Viburnum dentatum, Asclepias tuberosa, and Phlox maculata) at the Loup River Scenic Byway Interpretive Center. Club members present included Sonja Wagner, Jessica Petersen and Amy Hughes. KLBB extends a big THANK YOU to Dickinson Witchhazel and Keep America Beautiful for choosing KLBB as a recipient of these wonderful plants and to those volunteers that helped get the awarded plants into the ground. These plants are all extremely pollinator friendly and will be a great addition to the already established pollinator garden at the Interpretive Center.

The public is invited to visit the Loup River Scenic Byway Interpretive Center and take advantage of the beautiful flowers present and to visit with Janet Sanders about what Keep Loup Basin Beautiful offers to them and surrounding communities. KLBB’s moto, “To promote and provide environmental education and projects that will lead to litter prevention, waste reduction, recycling, and beautification in Central and North Central Nebraska.” fits perfectly with the additional pollinator plants that do beautiful things for our environment!!

Keep Loup Basin Beautiful (KLBB) is grant-funded through the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ) and Keep America Beautiful; and is a project of the Loup Basin RC&D Council that promotes litter prevention, waste reduction, recycling, and beautification. KLBB serves thirteen counties in central and north-central Nebraska. For more information about KLBB’s education programs, email KLBB at [email protected], visit www.keeploupbasinbeautiful.org, or like them on Facebook. Contact the Loup Basin RC&D office (308)-346-3393 or stop by the office at the Loup Rivers Scenic Byway Interpretive Center, 330 South Highway 11 Burwell, Nebraska.

Village of Arnold and Broken Bow Chamber of Commerce Win Awards from Keep Nebraska Beautiful

Pictured Left to right: KLBB Project Coordinator/Kathy Mann, Keep America Beautiful President/CEO Jennifer Jehn, KLBB Director/Anita Olson.

Two communities in the Loup Basin were honored at the annual Keep Nebraska Beautiful conference in Lincoln. The Village of Arnold received a first place award for their 2014 Great American Cleanup event. Arnold’s Economic Development Coordinator Sandy Hicks was on hand to receive the award on behalf of the Village of Arnold. Arnold was nominated for the award by their local affiliate, Keep Loup Basin Beautiful. The award was for “Make Arnold Shine” Day, held in April of this year. The event originated with the Village Board, Village Clerk Patty Lamberty, and Principal Dawn Lewis of Arnold Public Schools. The cleanup was a village-wide effort that included volunteers of all ages. There were 48 youth volunteers and nine teachers from Arnold Public Schools that put in time to help the community. There were also around 30 adult volunteers from community groups including the Rotary Club, American Legion, Chamber of Commerce, and Rialto Theatre Board of Directors.

Broken Bow’s Chamber of Commerce was also honored as the 2^nd place Civic/Non-Profit Organization. This spring they hosted several community beautification and litter prevention projects. They held a city-wide cleanup day on April 12^th, waived fees for disposal of yard waste, and partnered with a local company for an appliance and scrap iron collection. Fees were collected for draining and tagging appliances, and these fees went back to the city to help pay for improvements to the bandstand in the town square. There was a city-wide competition between businesses to see who could make the most beautiful storefront. A paper shredding company was on hand for locals to shred sensitive documents for a small fee per box. This paper was then recycled and the fees went to pay for an irrigation system for the flowers around the town’s welcome sign.

Keep Loup Basin Beautiful also received an award, the President’s Gold Circle Affiliate award. Keep Nebraska Beautiful Director Jane Polson, and Keep America Beautiful President/CEO Jennifer Jehn presented the award during a special luncheon. Ms. Jehn made the trip all the way from Washington D.C. to be a part of this year’s conference. This year’s conference was particularly significant because Keep Nebraska Beautiful is celebrating their 50^th anniversary as a community improvement organization.

10-15-14

The UPS Foundation Awards Keep Loup Basin Beautiful with a Community Tree Planting Grant

Anita Olson, Director of Keep Loup Basin Beautiful presents a check to the Greeley Beautification Committee.

More than 30 Keep America Beautiful Affiliate Communities Receive Grants Totaling $160,000 to Support Local Projects

Keep America Beautiful (KAB) and The UPS Foundation recently announced that Keep Loup Basin Beautiful is a recipient of a 2014 KAB/UPS Community Tree and Recovery Tree Planting Grants. More than 30 grants, totaling $160,000, are being awarded to KAB community-based affiliates throughout the country.

This grant project was a partnership between Keep Loup Basin Beautiful and the Greeley Beautification Committee. Grant money was used to purchase trees and shrubs to plant in the new RV park in Greeley, NE. Goals for the project were to encourage more people to stop and stay in Greeley by enhancing the natural beauty of the park, and to create a living screen between the park and the highway and maintenance yard to filter emissions. Native species of trees and shrubs were chosen for their drought tolerance and adaptation to the area. Local landscaper Carl Buller, of Design Scapes LLC in Scotia, donated his time and expertise to the project. All the trees and shrubs were planted and water lines were installed at the volunteer workday which took place on Saturday June 14. There was a great turnout of willing volunteer’s from the community.

The UPS grant program is intended to link KAB affiliates with local UPS employees who will provide volunteer support to plant the trees, in addition to the grant funding. Unfortunately, no UPS employees were able to attend the workday. The UPS employee that delivers to Greeley had intended to bring his family and come help but was unable to that day because of a prior commitment. He was impressed that his employer (UPS) is providing so much financial support for community projects like this one.

The UPS grants are part of UPS’s Global Forestry Initiative designed to plant, protect and preserve trees in urban and rural areas in the United States and around the world. The KAB/UPS community tree grant program is intended to help: sequester levels of carbon dioxide through strategic plantings; emphasize the importance of native tree planting; produce fruit from fruit trees for local consumption; and plant trees that will have a greater likelihood of withstanding natural disasters in communities that have lost a significant number of trees because of a recent natural disaster.

“Keep America Beautiful and its affiliates thank The UPS Foundation for helping us transform public spaces into beautiful places through this far-reaching tree planting grant program,” said Jennifer Jehn, president and CEO, Keep America Beautiful. “The additional recovery tree grants are particularly helpful in improving the social, environmental and economic life of our neighborhoods and towns.”

“With its Global Forestry Initiative, The UPS Foundation strives to create more resilient, sustainable communities around the world,” said Eduardo Martinez, president of The UPS Foundation. “Awarding these grants to Keep America Beautiful affiliates demonstrates UPS’s continued commitment to the environment.”

About Keep Loup Basin Beautiful Keep Loup Basin Beautiful is a grant-funded project of the Loup Basin RC&D Council that promotes litter prevention, waste reduction, recycling, and beautification. They serve thirteen counties in central and north-central Nebraska. The RC&D office is located in Burwell, NE and can be contacted by phone 308-346-3393 or email [email protected].

About Keep America Beautiful Keep America Beautiful is the nation’s leading nonprofit that brings people together to build and sustain vibrant communities. With a national network of community-based affiliates, we work with millions of volunteers who take action in their communities to transform public spaces into beautiful places. Through our programs and public-private partnerships, we engage individuals to take greater responsibility for improving their community’s environment. For more information, visit kab.org, follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, or view us on YouTube.

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8-10-14

Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality Awards Grant to Keep Loup Basin Beautiful

Keep Loup Basin Beautiful was awarded a grant in the amount of $65,000 from the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality’s Litter Reduction and Recycling Grant Program. Keep Loup Basin Beautiful is a project of the Loup Basin RC&D Council. Altogether, the state received 53 applications requesting more than $2.4 million for litter reduction and recycling projects. A total of $2.0 million was awarded to 51 projects throughout Nebraska. Anita Olson, KLBB Director said “We are very excited about being awarded this grant because it ensures that we can continue providing our services free of charge, and also create new recycling and waste reduction programs to benefit more communities.”

The grant program provides funds annually to Nebraska projects in three areas: public education, cleanup and recycling. The funds awarded to Keep Loup Basin Beautiful through public education funds will be used to provide environmental education leading to waste reduction, litter prevention, recycling and beautification. These educational programs are provided for all residents of the thirteen counties served by Keep Loup Basin Beautiful free of charge. School programs are the main focus for Keep Loup Basin Beautiful, but other projects include community cleanups, recycling drives, public education campaigns, and event recycling. With this grant money, Keep Loup Basin Beautiful will be expanding their reach to counties in north-central Nebraska, as well as hiring additional part-time educators to help cover the new area.

For more information about Keep Loup Basin Beautiful, or to schedule an educational program, please contact us at [email protected] or call the Loup Basin RC&D Office at 308-346-3393. Our office is located at the Pathway Bank Professional Center, 807 H ST, Burwell, Nebraska. Also, please visit our website at www.keeploupbasinbeautiful.org. Proudly serving Blaine, Boyd, Cherry, Custer, Garfield, Greeley, Holt, Howard, Loup, Rock, Sherman, Valley and Wheeler counties.

2-24-14

KLBB receives CLPP award at the KAB 2014 Conference

Keep Loup Basin Beautiful was recognized at the national conference for Linda’s work in 2013 with the Cigarette Litter Prevention Program. This was the first time Keep Loup Basin Beautiful had participated in the program. Thanks to funding from Keep America Beautiful and their corporate sponsors, we were able to get several outdoor receptacles for businesses around Burwell, as well as car and pocket receptacles that were given out at fairs and events last summer.

Keep Loup Basin Beautiful will be participating in this program again this year. If you feel your community is in need of some cigarette litter prevention, please contact Anita, Keep Loup Basin Beautiful Director, at 308-346-3393 or [email protected].

2-15-14

Keep Loup Basin Beautiful receives Keep Nebraska Beautiful Gold Award

During the Keep Nebraska Beautiful annual conference on June 27, 2013 held at the Nebraska City Lied Center, Keep Loup Basin beautiful was awarded the “Gold Affiliate” recognition. This is the highest level of achievement for the Nebraska Keep America Beautiful affiliates.

Pictured, Linda Studnicka, Director of Keep Loup Basin Beautiful and Mike Hazen
from the Keep Nebraska Beautiful Board of Directors.

7-2-13

Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality Awards Grant

Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality (NDEQ) has awarded the Loup Basin RC&D Council a grant in the amount of $34,966 to be used for the Keep America Beautiful (KAB) Affiliate, Keep Loup Basin Beautiful. This organization is a project of the RC&D Council, and serves residents in nine central Nebraska counties. The DNEQ provides funds annually to Nebraska projects in the categories of public environmental education, cleanups and recycling. Altogether, the NDEQ was able to fund fifty-six applications for 2013.

This grant, awarded in the public education category, will help the Keep Loup Basin Beautiful program fund their education for litter prevention, litter reduction, recycling, and for promotion of other environmental projects this year. The grant requires a match provided by volunteer labor for projects and cash or in-kind contributions. If you would like to help Keep Loup Basin Beautiful meet this match, please call 308-346-3393 and ask for Linda. Visit our web site www.keeploupbasinbeautiful.org or e-mail [email protected] for more information. The Loup Basin RC&D office is located at 807 H Street in Burwell.

Keep America Beautiful is the nation’s leading nonprofit that brings people together to build and sustain vibrant communities. For more information on KAB, visit www.kab.org.

3-4-13

Keep Loup Basin Beautiful Wins National Award

Local Keep America Beautiful affiliate, Keep Loup Basin Beautiful, was presented the National Keep America Beautiful (KAB) 2012 Great American Cleanup (GAC) Best Activation Award at the Keep America Beautiful Conference held in Washington, DC on January 29^th. Accepting the award from the KAB President Matt McKenna was Linda Studnicka, Keep Loup Basin Beautiful Affiliate Director.

Keep Loup Basin Beautiful received this award for their outstanding participation in the KAB GAC project in 2012. There are over 500 KAB affiliates nationwide that participate in the Great American Cleanup each year. This is a project that encourages volunteer groups of all sizes and ages to improve their community environment by litter cleanups, recycle collections, plantings, garden renewal, fix-up projects, cleaning and painting in public spaces, and environmental education. The local KAB affiliates help the groups by providing support for the projects with free Glad Trash bags, posters, banners, water for the volunteers, and presentations.

If your group is interesting in finding out how Keep Loup Basin Beautiful can help you with your community project in 2013, visit the office which is located at the Loup Basin RC&D office, 807 H Street, Burwell or call 308-346-3393. Keep Loup Basin Beautiful is a project of the Loup Basin RC&D, and serves nine counties in central Nebraska.

2-5-13

Keep Loup Basin Beautiful Wins Keep Nebraska Beautiful Gold Affiliate Award

Keep Nebraska Beautiful (KNB) held their annual awards luncheon in Kearney on June 28,2012. During that luncheon, KLBB was presented the “Gold Affiliate Recognition”. This is the highest level of achievement for the Nebraska Keep America Beautiful affiliates, and means that all of the criteria for good standing was met or exceeded during the past year.

This information will be passed on to the national Keep America Beautiful (KAB) organization. Good standing must be met each year so that KLBB is eligible for KAB grants and free in-kind materials for the Great American Cleanup, America Recycles Day, and other KAB programs. It will also be an important factor in obtaining State DEQ grants next year.

Pictured is Mike Mostek, Chairman of Keep Nebraska Beautiful Board and KLBB Director, Linda Studnicka

7-10-12

Community Impact Grant Awarded to KLBB

Keep Loup Basin Beautiful (KLBB) is a recipient of the UPS/Keep America Beautiful (KAB)Community Improvement Grant. The UPS Foundation’s overall support of KAB is designed to strengthen resources for KAB’s 1200 member affiliate network that encourages individuals to take greater responsibility for improving their community environments.

This grant will be used in the nine counties in the Loup Basin RC&D area. It will promote the KAB fall “Get Growing” programby education and reimbursement to communities for perennial plantings in public spaces such as schools, churches, community gardens, city owned vacant lots, parks, etc. The target planting time will be September 1, through September 15, with September 8, 2012 designated as “Get Growing” Day.

Start planning your project now! The perennials chosen by the communities will need to be sustainable, drought resistant plants that grow well in Nebraska’s zones 4 and 5. Funds may be used for ground preparation, and other planting expenses besides purchase of plants.

A complete grant application packet, with a list of acceptable plants, will be available from Keep Loup Basin Beautiful by calling 308-728-3393 after July 9^th.

^{Click here for more information}

The completed application and will be due back by August 1^st. The chosen applicants will be allotted a set amount that will be reimbursed back to the group after the plantings are completed and simple report with pictures and a list of in-kind contributions, such as volunteers, is sent back to KLBB.

Keep America Beautiful, Inc., established in 1953, is the nation’s largest volunteer-based community action and education organization. This is the 5^th annual UPS/KAB Community Improvement Grant Program, which is providing more support than ever for community greening, litter prevention and waste reduction initiatives across the country. This year’s total grant awards exceeded $150,000 for 66 projects. Matthew M. McKenna, president and CEO, Keep America Beautiful is quoted as saying “Keep America Beautiful is privileged to have developed such a strong partnership with The UPS Foundation, because its values are in such close alignment with our own. Our affiliates are truly grateful to the many UPS volunteers who are engaging in our local, grassroots initiatives.” For more information about the programs supported through the UPS/KAB Community Improvement Grants, go to www.kab.org/UPS.

6-15-12

Keep America Beautiful Awards

The Loup Basin RC&D organization, Keep Loup Basin Beautiful (KLBB), received two awards at the National Keep America Beautiful (KAB) conference in New Orleans in December, the President’s Circle Award, and the People’s Garden recognition.

The first award, the President’s Circle award, was given to KLBB for taking action in each of the KAB focus areas – litter prevention, waste reduction, and community beautification, and for fulfilling other KAB requirements. The affiliates that are able to attain President’s Circle status are then eligible for national affiliate awards, and for KAB sponsored grant programs. The next large KAB/KLBB sponsored project will be the Great American Cleanup, featuring free supplies and other free materials for all participating groups within the Loup Basin nine counties.

KLBB was also recognized by United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for creating the “Green Thumb’s Up” People’s Garden at Arcadia School during 2011. This was accomplished with the help of a grant from KAB and the cooperation of the Arcadia School and many volunteers. The Arcadia Public Schools also received a Certificate of Merit from KAB.

Sponsored by the Loup Basin RC&D, KLBB organization is an active affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, Inc., the nation’s largest volunteer-based community action and education organization. This national nonprofit forms public-private partnerships and programs that engage individuals to take greater responsibility for improving their community environments. For additional information, visit www.keeploupbasinbeautiful.org, the office located at the Valley Ag Complex in Ord, e-mail [email protected], or call 308-728-3393.

1-12-12

Loup Basin RC&D Project Keep Loup Basin Beautiful Honored by Keep America Beautiful for High Performance Achieved in 2010

Local Organization Recognized as Among the “Best of the Best” Nationwide

Keep Loup Basin Beautiful (KLBB) received Keep America Beautiful President’s Circle Award at the President’s Circle Award Luncheon, during the Keep America Beautiful 57th annual National Conference in Orlando, Fla. The President’s Circle Award recognizes exemplary performance made by certified affiliates of the national nonprofit to educate residents about litter reduction, minimize waste by recycling, and assistance to beautify local communities. Keep Loup Basin Beautiful is a project of the Loup Basin RC&D Council. Accepting the award in Orlando was Keep Loup Basin Beautiful affiliate director, Linda Studnicka.

Keep America Beautiful, Inc., established in 1953, is the nation’s largest volunteer-based community action and education organization. In qualifying for a President’s Circle Award, Keep Loup Basin Beautiful met Keep America Beautiful’s standards of excellence by conducting an annual Community Appearance Index, calculating the affiliate’s cost/benefit ratio, environmental education and engaging volunteers to take greater responsibility for their community environment. In addition, award recipients must conduct activities in Keep America Beautiful’s three core focus areas of litter prevention, recycling for waste reduction, and beautification/community greening.

“One of Keep America Beautiful’s most effective tools is the work of our grassroots network of affiliate organizations, which has an impact on millions of Americans each year,” said Keep America Beautiful President and CEO Matthew M. McKenna. “Our affiliates are providing real solutions to problems like litter. By engaging and the education of people of all ages in community improvement efforts, Keep Loup Basin Beautiful is represented among the best in promoting the values of Keep America Beautiful.”

Some of the annual KLBB projects are:

Community Appearance Index: The Keep America Beautiful Litter Index is a tool used by KAB affiliates to measure litter from year to year, identify “hot spots,” and track their progress in remedying the problem. This provides an indication of the success of each community’s anti-littering education and other anti-littering programs. Keep Loup Basin Beautiful conducted its Community Appearance Index in Broken Bow this year. If your community would like to participate next year call, or leave a message at the RC&D office.
Cost/Benefit Analysis: This measurement tool enables Keep America Beautiful affiliates to demonstrate their ability to leverage community resources by determining the dollar value returned to the community for every dollar invested. Keep Loup Basin Beautiful’s ratio is $14.92 for every dollar spent.
Great American Cleanup: This program conducted between March 1 and June 30 is aimed at helping residents with supplies to conduct cleanup, fix-up, and paint-up projects in their communities.
Environmental education programs for all ages.