Raves, Rants & Roses

ROSES: Thanks for the June 16 front page article where Kimberly Squyres was quoted about her experience on the Keep Tyler Beautiful Board, one of the volunteer boards of our city, as being pivotal in getting the number one statewide award from Keep Texas Beautiful.

She certainly did that, also preparing a 14-page scrapbook of the yearly activities that should be available to our city folks so they can see the projects this board attempts to accomplish. It shows off our city beautifully.

To receive this award, each Texas city that has such a city board applies by preparing a seven-page documentation of volunteer hours given to accomplish projects in these areas: Community leadership and coordination, education, public awareness, litter prevention and clean-up, litter law and illegal dumping enforcement, solid waste management and above all, beautification.

Serving on a city board gives volunteers a first hand knowledge of the planning, commitment and labor it takes to make that board vital.

The name, Keep Tyler Beautiful, is often misunderstood. The board has more to do with staffing massive cleanup events, digging in the waterways and collecting recyclables than what most Tylerites think as beautification.

Drive by Tyler's Solid Waste Department and see the building which houses the offices, the telephone answering, Keep Tyler Beautiful and the recycling center.

This prestigious award has been sought for many years and the awards are given for city population categories. Tyler is in the 50,000 to 100,000 category. And, it comes with a $130,000 check, which TxDot will use to further beautify Tyler's highways.

The award will be presented at the Keep Texas Beautiful conference which will be held in Irving, June 24-27. Many of the board members will attend. Our new mayor and other interested citizens will represent our city as the award is being presented.

Way to go, Keep Tyler Beautiful Board and facilitators. You are beautiful, too.

Sunny Davidson
Tyler