We had the most wonderful opportunity this week to sit down with Executive Director Martyna Griffin, who gave us an in-depth look at one of Carroll County’s beloved nonprofits, Keep Carroll Beautiful. The organization is a certified Keep America Beautiful affiliate exclusively serving Carroll County, with programming focused on recycling, litter, and beautification.
Martyna says, “We are Carroll County’s only environmentally oriented organization.” Since 2005 Keep Carroll Beautiful and its many local partners have diverted tons of hazardous materials from landfills, just like those from a recent electronics recycling event which collected 35,000 tons of electronics. “Many gallons of paint, bags of fertilizers, and tons of tires have also been recycled through Keep Carroll Beautiful and with help from partners like Southwire or Carroll County Government,” she stated.
In mid-June Keep Carroll Beautiful learned that they received the Standard of Excellence accreditation. The standards outline how well-managed and responsibly governed nonprofits should operate. The process took over two years to complete and the training/application was covered through an Alice Huffard Richards Grant. KCB was one of the three in Carroll County to receive the accreditation.
With all the recent successes, the board of directors along with the executive director saw a need to be more visible and accessible. Martyna explains, “We spent over a decade at our last location on Dixie Street as guests of Tanner Health System. This gave us freedom to build our organization and focus on the mission. Now, with the plans for that building changing, we had an opportunity to find something permanent and received a tremendous contribution from a donor that believes in the mission of Keep Carroll Beautiful.”
The new location will be at 213 Bradley Street, which is the middle building of the row across the street from the AMP. She says, “With the building being downtown Carrollton, we will not only be in the middle of the events that happen in the city, but can also be a hub of all things recycling for the entire Carroll County.”
Fall is a busy time for Keep Carroll Beautiful cleanup programs, and anyone in the community that needs to check out supplies such as litter pickup sticks or bags will be able to just walk in during business hours and do so with ease of access. There will be brochures to bring more awareness to recycling along with free garden seeds!
Martyna shared her thanks to the many who have helped this new location happen, such as two small businesses in the Villa Rica area, First Degree Heating and Cooling and Advantage Office Solutions. In addition to the two small businesses she gives a tremendous thanks to KCB Board President Jacqueline Dost, V. P. Kate Disinger, Secretary Becky Jackson, Treasurer Cynthia Hall, and board members Sunshine Ballew, Susana Valez-Castrillon, Daria Pushkareva, Wil Rainey, Hannah Smith, and Adam Uglum.
Keep Carroll Beautiful’s open house is scheduled for October 6 at the new location from 5:30 p.m. until 6:30 p.m., and a ribbon cutting will be scheduled later during the month of December. To learn more about Keep Carroll Beautiful click here.
