TODAY’S COLUMN: Keeping Prince William beautiful: 2017 a year to ‘Do Beautiful Things’ in PWC

I like to tell folks in discussing the services Keep Prince William Beautiful provides that we clean up not just for the sake of keeping things beautiful, but rather so our people can do beautiful things. When the park is clean, more kids will go. Home values are higher in clean neighborhoods; new businesses open on vibrant and clean streets; when we take pride and keep it beautiful, our communities are safer and stronger.

Keep Prince William Beautiful is a grassroots service organization that leads programs on litter prevention, protecting the Chesapeake Bay, recycling education, among others. But we are also a catalyst for economically vibrant and healthy communities. We are thought leaders and committed to environmental action and economic vitality taking root together.

In 2016, hundreds of volunteers for Keep Prince William Beautiful logged over 5,000 hours picking up nearly 100,000 pounds of trash from our roadways and streams. Over 70 spots were adopted by friends and neighbors. Hundreds of kids took part in fun, educational activities to promote recycling and environmental stewardship. These things enable our communities to be great places to do beautiful things – to start new businesses, buy a house, visit, live healthy, and have fun.

Join us in the new year and help us continue our vision of Prince William County being a place to ‘do beautiful things’ in 2017– adopt a spot on your street to keep it clean; volunteer for a community clean-up; donate to help us beautify communities by planting, painting, and developing parks and green spaces. Recycle and reuse items. Dispose of your trash. Keep pollutants out of our storm drains and help protect the Chesapeake Bay. Most importantly, take pride in our community and let’s become the nation’s leader in keeping our communities beautiful so we all can do beautiful things in the community we love.

For nearly 35 years, Keep Prince William Beautiful has served the communities and citizens of Prince William County by inspiring individual responsibility and collective action to keep our beloved neighborhoods clean, green, and vibrant places to live, work, and conduct business. As we begin a new year, our organization renews our commitment to the communities we serve and pledge to inspire greater action in the year ahead.

To learn more, volunteer, or donate, visit http://www.kpwb.org .