“Here’s to not being trashy!”
With that quip, Dr. Jeff Wells cut the ribbon, marking the ceremonial relaunch of Keep Milledgeville Baldwin Beautiful (KMBB) Wednesday. The nonprofit organization seeks to educate the public on the negative effects caused by litter while also encouraging beautification efforts.
Wednesday’s ribbon cutting was meant to coincide with an America Recycles Day event on Georgia College & State University’s Front Campus. The event was postponed due to rainy weather, but the ribbon cutting carried on.
KMBB, the local affiliate of Keep Georgia Beautiful and Keep America Beautiful, was active locally from 2014 until the start of the COVID-19 pandemic when it went dormant. Several individuals saw a need for it to return, so they have been working to revive the organization in recent months.
“KMBB is ultimately about education,” said KMBB Vice Chair Laura Thompson, the sole remaining board member from that 2014 founding group. “We’re not here to just pick up everyone’s trash. It’s more about encouraging beautification of our community.”
The KMBB board currently is made up of eight individuals with plans to grow to 13 on July 1 next year. The board members are Wells at chairman, the vice chair and treasurer Thompson, Jennifer Minshew as secretary, Christina Mansfield, Ashley Gardner, Lori Hamilton, Kara Lassiter (ex-officio), Dr. Brandy Kennedy and Ashley Copeland. The group seeks to accomplish the organization’s mission through anti-littering campaigns and the fostering of programs like Adopt-A-Road, which it is undertaking with the current relaunch.
“A group, organization, church, sports team, individuals, neighborhood or families can adopt a mile stretch of roadway and commit to clean it up at least quarterly for two years,” Thompson said.
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