HJ777: Commending Keep Virginia Beautiful.


HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 777
Commending Keep Virginia Beautiful.

 

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 1, 2013
Agreed to by the Senate, February 7, 2013

 

WHEREAS, in 2013 Keep Virginia Beautiful will proudly celebrate its 60th anniversary of working to engage and unite Virginians to improve the Commonwealth’s natural and scenic environment; and

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth offers a wide array of scenic landscapes for visitors and residents to enjoy, from the mountains of Southwest Virginia to the beauty of the Shenandoah Valley, from the James River Watershed to the beaches of the Eastern Shore; and

WHEREAS, since its formation as the Virginia Anti-Litterbug Council in 1953, Keep Virginia Beautiful has been at the forefront of efforts to preserve and protect the Commonwealth’s scenic beauty, beginning with efforts to keep roadways litter-free; and

WHEREAS, in 1956 the Anti-Litterbug Council officially changed its name to Keep Virginia Beautiful and became an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful; and

WHEREAS, over the years, Keep Virginia Beautiful expanded its efforts to include educating the public about litter prevention, working with local and state leaders, and helping establish statewide clean-up campaigns; and

WHEREAS, in 1965 Keep Virginia Beautiful established its annual awards program for counties, cities, and towns that highlight outstanding achievement in litter prevention in a variety of categories; and

WHEREAS, in the 1970s, Keep Virginia Beautiful began to work with other water and air pollution groups, local businesses, and state agencies to help clean up Virginia’s waterways and establish 56 sanitary landfills; and

WHEREAS, in 1976 the General Assembly passed the Virginia Litter Control Act and Keep Virginia Beautiful continued to win state and national awards for its superior work on litter prevention; and

WHEREAS, by 1990, recycling became a national movement and Keep Virginia Beautiful expanded its role to include not only litter prevention and community beautification, but also recycling; and

WHEREAS, in 2010 the Keep Virginia Beautiful mission was redefined “To engage and unite Virginians to improve our natural and scenic environment,” further expanding its impact areas to include litter prevention, recycling, waste reduction, beautification, and environmental education through new leadership and a clear vision for the future; and

WHEREAS, in 2013 Keep Virginia Beautiful will mark its anniversary with a gala at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and the inauguration of its GIVE 60 campaign, which encourages volunteerism throughout Virginia’s small and large communities alike; and

WHEREAS, Keep Virginia Beautiful’s most successful program, “30 Grants in 30 Days,” will continue to help communities in their litter prevention, recycling, and beautification efforts for a third year; and

WHEREAS, Keep Virginia Beautiful will also relaunch its awards program, now called “Get Caught in a Beautiful Act,” in which individuals, families, or groups “get caught” via photo or video in the act of cleaning up, recycling, or participating in other beautification projects; and

WHEREAS, for 60 years, Keep Virginia Beautiful has served the Commonwealth through its litter prevention, waste reduction, recycling, beautification, and environmental education work; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend Keep Virginia Beautiful on the occasion of its 60th anniversary; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Michael Baum, executive director of Keep Virginia Beautiful, as an expression of the General Assembly’s congratulations and admiration and gratitude for the organization’s commitment to enhancing the Commonwealth’s natural and scenic environment.

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 777

Offered January 28, 2013
Commending Keep Virginia Beautiful.
Patron-- Lopez