Twenty-five years ago the late Columbus Councilwoman Edna Kendrick had a vision that has resulted in a more beautiful city. It was a visit to Macon to see their Keep Macon Beautiful Commission’s Cherry Blossom Festival that friend Jessica Barrick says “put a bee in Edna’s bonnet.” From that came the Keep Columbus Beautiful Commission (KCBC). Created by council ordinance in December 1986, the commission had seven citizen-members. It was certified as an affiliate program of Keep America Beautiful, Inc. in January 1988.

Barrick was hired as the first director. She remembers that shortly after she took office, economic development officials expressed concern about bringing a group of dignitaries from the airport to the Hilton downtown without driving past unsightly areas and having to “put the shades on the bus down.” “We became the perfect vehicle,” she recalls, “as people became more aware … that aesthetics is important to economic development.”

One of the first projects was an Adopt-A-Spot beautification program on Victory Drive in conjunction with CB&T’s centennial. That developed into a partnership with other community organizations to form Columbus Gateways, chaired by John Flournoy. The most recent gateway is the entrance to Fort Benning on I-185.

The Commission and hundreds of volunteers pitched in to prepare Columbus for the Olympic event, cleaning and fixing up highly visible areas of our community. The annual Help-the-Hooch River Cleanup and Arbor Day tree planting are other programs that highlight litter removal and beautification. The Arbor Day celebrations have been expanded over the years to engage the schools and partner with Trees Columbus. Columbus was the first city in Georgia to attain a “Tree City USA” designation. Most recently I-185 from Williams Road to I-85 has been designated as a Scenic Byway, which means no billboards will be erected.

Beautification was just the beginning. KCBC improved waste management techniques starting curbside recycling, Christmas tree and phone book recycling and most recently electronics, household hazardous waste and pharmaceutical disposal.

In 1999 Gloria Weston-Smart became the second and current director of Keep Columbus Beautiful. Her first success was implementation of the environmental court. She points out that infractions of the environment were considered minor when mixed in with cases of murder and drugs and so were often overlooked. In 2002 such cases were separated.

Education is another part of the KCBC mission. The commission is a Partner at Large with all the schools in the area bringing environmental projects into the classroom. They also spread the message through the Earth Notes program aired on government access television.

Every year champions of the environment and beautification are recognized during an awards luncheon. During the anniversary celebration many of the former Edna Kendrick Award winners will attend, as will past commissioners.

Barrick, who now works at Bellingrath Gardens, is one who plans to attend. She has visited Columbus several times since leaving the director’s position and says she is knocked out over what Columbus was able to achieve in the last 25 years. “I am most proud of some of the stuff you can’t see, like curbside recycling and you can’t help but feel great about Columbus Gateways.”

Weston-Smart feels the commission’s programs and projects have helped to make the city a more beautiful, cleaner and safer place to live. “When you promote environmental stewardship, you are promoting protecting the environment,” she adds.”You are working to take care of what takes care of us.”

KCBC ANNUAL AWARDS PRESERVING OUR LEGACY LUNCHEON
May 10
Columbus Georgia Convention and Trade Center
During the luncheon, former Edna Kendrick Award winners as well as past KCBC chairpersons will be honored.
For more info or tickets call (706) 653-4008

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