Drumline cadence vibrated my chest as the Tennessee State marching band opened the first session. The entireTSU band played in the Peabody’s grand ballroom at the Keep America Beautiful 2020 National Conference in Memphis, Tennessee.
I attended the conference Feb. 12-14 with Kathryn Worley, Keep Alliance Beautiful executive director. The week started with a general session: Welcome/Future Keep America Beautiful. For over 65 years, Keep America Beautiful has been inspiring and educating people to take action every day to improve their community environment.
Philip McKenzie, who described himself as a cultural anthropologist, strategist, creative, educator, welcomed hundreds of Keep America Beautiful affiliates and served as the conference emcee. This is a gathering of like value, like minded people, he said.”Where you are, there you are,” he said. McKenzie talked about his Brooklyn roots and culture and shared values. Culture consists of the shared world of values that connects us, he said.
“You are doing very important work and that’s the mission of Keep America Beautiful,” he said.
Next, KAB Board Chair Monique Oxender, Chief Sustainability Officer at Keurig Dr. Pepper, welcomed attendees to the volunteer State to kick off the annual meeting.
She said all of us are players working together is the world we’re working in today. Two priorities are litter reduction and better recycling.
Next, Helen Lowman, President and CEO of Keep America Beautiful, addressed the attendees. She showed five new board members on the screen. She thanked Keep Tennessee Beautiful, its chair and planning committee for the conference. “Shaping Our Future” was this year’s theme.
Lowman said since last year the organization has experienced a lot of change and growth, receiving 32 new affiliate applications. “You are the heart and soul of this organization,” Lowman said.
Statistics fill the screen. Lowman said the affiliates had logged 11.9 million hours and collected 65.9 million pounds of litter and recyclables in cleanups over the last year. There were 7,800 miles of streams and rivers cleaned and 218,000 acres of parks, playgrounds and other spaces cleaned and improved. Overall there was a $305 million economic benefit to communities served. Lowman said that the value “you give back to your communities is incredibly powerful and shouldn’t be underestimated.”
Lowman said Recycling Heroes Day will be a regular part of America Recycles Day. The Great American Cleanup kickoff this past year was at the Tennessee River. She said KAB placed 10,000 litter stands in 35 states with all the cigarette butts recycled.
There is purpose in partnerships, Lowman emphasized. Keep America Beautiful of leading community improvement organizations. “With great purpose comes great partnership,” she said, adding KAB will have a new event engagement program. A key part of our look into the future is developing new strategic planning, Lowman said. “We want to produce greater impact with greater reach.”
The conference will be explored further in upcoming columns.