Keep Arkansas Beautiful Receives National Honors

LITTLE ROCK – Keep Arkansas Beautiful (KAB) received its third consecutive Gold Level State Affiliate designation and won its fifth Rogers Award from Keep America Beautiful Inc. (KAmB), the nation's premier community environmental-improvement organization.

The Gold Level is the highest recognition bestowed by KAmB on its state affiliates. Over the past year, KAB has met all 10 of the criteria KAmB requires of state affiliates to support the mission and objectives of KAmB at the state level. These include providing technical assistance and customized support to local affiliates, proactively marketing the KAmB system, maintaining regular communications with KAmB and local affiliates, implementing at least two program activities within the state, undergoing professional development training, and encouraging local training and awarding recognition.

The Rogers Award recognizes creativity in radio and television advertising among KAmB affiliates. KAB's first-place Rogers Award in the Statewide Television category is for an anti-littering commercial featuring an Arkansas "celebrity," the Fouke Monster, the subject of the 1970s cult movie classic The Legend of Boggy Creek, as the spokesperson in the tongue-in-cheek spot. Mangan Holcomb Partners, a Little Rock marketing communications firm, conceptualized the spot, which was produced in partnership with Dempsey Film Group of Little Rock. This year's Rogers Award is KAB's fifth in 10 years.

About Keep America Beautiful Inc.

Keep America Beautiful Inc., established in 1953, is the nation's largest volunteer-based community action and education organization. With a network of nearly 1,000 affiliate and participating organizations, KAmB forms public-private partnerships and programs to engage individuals in taking greater responsibility for improving their community environments. To learn more about KAmB, visit kab.org.

About Keep Arkansas Beautiful

As a state affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, KAB works to engage individuals to accept responsibility for enhancing their local community through effective actions to reduce litter, encourage recycling and promote scenic beautification. It operates as a division of the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism and is overseen by a nine-member commission appointed by the governor. KAB is funded by 1 percent of the one-eighth-cent conservation tax and, by utilizing volunteers, returns to the state a cost benefit of $8.05 in community service for each program dollar spent.