Keep Friendswood Beautiful has once again been recognized as a Keep Texas Beautiful 2022 Gold Star Affiliate.
To achieve Gold Star status, affiliates must share information to Keep Texas Beautiful on their mission and goals, answer questions about their economic development and diversity and inclusion practices or participate in the Beautify Texas Awards or Governor’s Community Achievement Awards programs and provide a letter of support from their community.
Keep Friendswood Beautiful (KFB) is a city board made up of 20 volunteers dedicated to enhancing the aesthetic appearance of Friendswood and to encourage residents to take an active role in maintaining that appearance.
Activities in which KFB participate include picking up trash on their Adopt a Highway section in Friendswood, tending to the beautiful pollinator garden in Stevenson Park year round in all types of temperatures, organizing and participating in the giveaway of 100-plus trees to residents annually and volunteering at their City-wide clean up twice a year in Fall Haul and Spring Sparkle.
They brought the nationally-known Fairy Trail to Stevenson Park, Santa in the Park to the community and education community-wide with Figgy the Eco-Friendly Squirrel.
They also provide a matching beautification grant for HOAs or businesses annually.
Interested in getting your hands dirty and volunteering, a few volunteer spots for the KFB board are now available.
The history of Keep Texas Beautiful dates back to 1967, when Texas was preparing for the 1968 HemisFair in San Antonio and more than 16 million tourists were expected to descend upon the state.
A variety of representatives from diverse entities, including the State Department of Highways and Public Transportation, decided that Texas cities and highways should be given a “facelift” so visitors would see a clean, beautiful state. To accomplish this goal, the group created a non-profit educational corporation, supported totally by membership dues, known as the Beautify Texas Council.
Realizing the importance of what had been accomplished via local volunteers and their love of their communities, the Beautify Texas Council continued to support communities in their beautification efforts even after HemisFair. By 1968, the Council had supplied almost every Texas town with information on how to improve their city’s appearance. In response to enthusiastic efforts from dedicated volunteers across the state, the Council eventually increased its focus to highway beautification, environmental education and public awareness, procurement and distribution of funding and support to local volunteers, and creating and maintaining valuable relationships with state officials and agencies.
In 1985, the Beautify Texas Council officially became Keep Texas Beautiful, Inc., and a state affiliate of Keep America Beautiful. Since that time, KTB has won top honors as an outstanding KAB state affiliate and have grown by creating an extensive affiliate program.
Keep Texas Beautiful now has the largest environmental and community improvement network in the state.
