First Lady Abbott Hosts 2024 Governor’s Community Achievement Awards Ceremony In Austin
First Lady Cecilia Abbott last night hosted the annual Keep Texas Beautiful Governor’s Community Achievement Awards ceremony at the Governor's Mansion in Austin to recognize the countless volunteers across the state who help keep Texas clean and beautiful. In partnership with the Office of the Governor and the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), the Keep Texas Beautiful Governor’s Community Achievement Awards are given to Texas communities for their exceptional efforts to keep their communities beautiful through landscaping and community projects.
“Texas truly is a state like no other,” said First Lady Abbott. “Not just from the bounty of our land, but also from the hearts and hands of all who call Texas home. That is why I believe so strongly in encouraging Texans to give back to their communities through volunteerism and service. Volunteerism isn’t just about completing a task or fulfilling a need, it brings hope and joy to the people and places around us. I would like to thank each of you for making a difference in your communities and our state. Your work is helping us create a bigger, more beautiful Texas for all.”
Keep Texas Beautiful started with the Governor’s Community Achievement Awards in 1969 in partnership with the Office of the Governor. In 1985, the State Highways and Public Transportation Commission, later known as TxDOT, joined Keep Texas Beautiful to fund highway landscaping projects. This partnership continues today with the 10 winning communities sharing $2 million for landscaping projects. These projects have ranged from installing city gateways and signage, to tending to native gardens and the beautification of public spaces.
2024 Governor’s Community Achievement Awardee highlights:
- Category 1, Argyle: Located in one of the fastest-growing counties in the United States, Argyle provides its residents with a small-town atmosphere and access to big city amenities through its proximity to the DFW metroplex. Among its many accomplishments, one of the largest volunteer-led beautification projects created Rewilding Station 511, a native plant garden.
- Category 2, Whitesboro: Last year, the City of Whitesboro celebrated its 150th birthday! The City of Whitesboro and Keep Whitesboro Beautiful prevent litter in their community through cleanup, beautification, education, and recycling events, like their annual e-waste recycling week.
- Category 3, Alpine: Known as The Eden of the West and home of Sul Ross University. The citizens of Alpine work hard to maintain the area’s pristine beauty. In addition to litter cleanups, their programs include a local recycling center and an illegal dumping abatement program, all of which Keep Alpine Beautiful!
- Category 4, Seabrook: The City of Seabrook has a history as a fishing town and its citizens are deeply engaged and focused on preserving the city’s waterways, land, and culture. Seabrook prioritized access for all their citizens by establishing ADA-compliant options in their capital improvement projects.
- Category 5, Anna: Keep Anna Beautiful has been a KTB affiliate since 2022. They collaborate closely with the city to successfully engage all residents, with a focus on beautifying public spaces to enhance the overall well-being of its residents. Anna also pays close attention to abating water pollution by providing strategically placed waste bins to encourage responsible disposal near waterways.
- Category 6, Del Rio: With robust partnerships and programs, Del Rio has effectively engaged its residents to create cleaner parks and reduce litter throughout their community.
- Category 7, Little Elm: Known as the Town with a Lake Attitude, Little Elm is one of Texas’ fastest-growing cities. The community embraces a Servant Leadership philosophy and highlights the positive impact of beautification and community improvement on economic development and prosperity.
- Category 8, San Marcos: Is the gateway to the Hill Country. It is known for its natural beauty, including the lovely San Marcos River, and as the home to Texas State University. Students make up a large percentage of the community volunteers who work to keep the city clean and beautiful. San Marcos works to provide education about the impact of litter on roadways and waterways to all community members.
- Category 9, Pearland: Is located south of Houston and is one of the fastest-growing cities in Texas. The City of Pearland, Pearland Economic Development Corporation, and Keep Pearland Beautiful successfully collaborate on waste management, community improvement, and beautification initiatives to make Pearland a better place to live, work, and visit.
- Category 10, Garland: Successfully engages its community and last year alone, volunteers contributed almost 2,900 hours and removed over 176,000 pounds of litter. The city’s holistic environmental efforts have enriched the lives of residents, fostering a thriving environment for work and leisure. Garland would like to acknowledge and thank Betty Roberts, who was President of Keep Garland Beautiful for 12 years and passed away last month, for making this award possible.