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Keep McIntosh Beautiful
"Working Together
for a Clean, Green and
Beautiful McIntosh County"
April 2025 Newsletter
| | | | You are receiving this newsletter as a KMB member, friend, volunteer or supporter to stay updated on KMB news, events, and volunteer opportunities. THANK YOU! | |
Please join me in welcoming Albert “Haze” Casey and Leighann Adams to the KMB Board of Directors! They were unanimously voted in and bring a wealth of positivity, community spirit, and dedication to our mission. We’re so lucky to have them on board!
Haze is now retired but has a vast mechanical & electrical background. He can pretty much fix, weld, fabricate, braze or grind anything. He also has his private pilot's license and has enjoyed flying for many years. He wants to help KMB with Memberships. He is a dedicated volunteer yearly at our Oyster Roast fundraiser.
Leighann is a Probation Supervisor. She is very crafty, organized and an avid gardener. She is eager to use these skills to help KMB with the beautification of McIntosh County and with Public Awareness & Resources. She is an enthusiastic volunteer at her church, nursing home, Fall Fest Doggy Day Parade, and at our annual Oyster Roast fundraiser.
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24 Ways to Celebrate Earth Month
@KeepGeorgiaBeautifulFoundation
Are you ready to show your love for the planet? We’ve compiled a list of our favorite activities and sorted them by our main initiatives—ending litter, reducing waste, promoting recycling, and beautifying communities. Choose one, opt to do several, or go big and check each one off your list. Together we can all make a difference!
End Litter
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Sign up for a Great American Cleanup event or a local PopUp PickUp. Follow KMB social media for details. Volunteer with KMB April 11-13 for Blessing of the Fleet After-Hours Cleanups. Call KMB 912.289.1083.
- Headed out for a walk or run? Bring a small bag with you and pick up litter when you see it.
- Sign our #reconsiderlitter pledge.
- Gather some friends and neighbors and clean up a heavily trafficked area in your neighborhood.
- Visit one of your favorite parks, trails or docks and carry out any litter that you see.
- Commit yourself to volunteering throughout the year with Keep McIntosh Beautiful.
Reduce Waste
- Treat yourself and the planet with a reusable item. Maybe you’ve got your eye on a new water bottle or coffee mug, some new lunch gear, or even beeswax wrap for home storage?
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Make this be the year you start composting—you can do it in your yard or even from an apartment!
- Dip your toes into secondhand shopping—you’d be surprised at what you can find for your wardrobe or decor.
- Host a weekend eco-swap with friends or neighbors to exchange items you no longer need.
- Donate anything leftover to the charity of your choice.
- Teach yourself a new skill, like sewing or using a new tool, so you can repair items that break instead of throwing them in the trash.
Promote Recycling
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If you haven’t already, learn how to recycle where you live, curbside or beyond. Visit KMB's Recycle Right.
- If you’re already a pro, share your knowledge with someone who lives in your area.
- Remember to always leave a little room in your backpack or trunk when you’re out camping or hiking—this way, if you don’t see a recycling bin on your journey, you can bring your beverage containers with you instead of sending them to a landfill.
- Learn where to dispose of hard-to-recycle items like batteries, electronics, and paint. KMB's next Spring Community Recycling Event is May 17. We'll be taking electronics, scrap metal, old nonrepairable appliances, household goods, and more.
- Do an upcycling project, on your own or with friends and family. There are plenty of instructions to be found on the internet, and it’s the perfect time of year to make a tin can lantern or hanging wine bottle planter!
- Show your support for the process by investing in recycled paper or other goods.
Beautify Your Community
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Wild your lawn (and reduce your workload) by replacing any grassy areas you have with native plants. Bonus points if you choose flowers pollinators will love.
- Live in an apartment or condo? No problem! Do a little research and find out if there’s a nearby community garden you can join. You could also incorporate a few potted options on your porch, patio, or windowsill.
- Quench the thirst of your pollinator friends by installing a bird bath. There’s no need to get fancy—even a shallow dish placed on the ground will do.
- Take the next step and purchase or make a bird feeder or bee hotel.
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Support local farmers and florists by hosting a weekend feast full of fruits and vegetables from your market.
- Advocate for more pocket parks in your neighborhood and see how else you can get involved with local greening initiatives.
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WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE RIGHT HERE IN MCINTOSH?
VOLUNTEER!
Exciting opportunities are coming up in our neighborhoods, schools, churches, and community. Volunteers are the heart and soul of community engagement, bringing energy, skills, and passion to causes that matter. Let’s come together and make a difference! A clean, thriving community needs its people to get involved. By actively volunteering, we can build a stronger community and keep making McIntosh County a place we can all be proud of.
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Blessing of the Fleet - Volunteers Needed! Call KMB 912.289.1083.
APRIL 11-13. KMB will have a presence at this iconic event, and we need volunteers for our booth and after-hours cleanups. Volunteers will receive free admittance wristbands! Call 912-289-1083 to SIGN UP!
Tent/Booth Schedule (Saturday, 9am-5pm)
We'll have KMB info and games.
Help needed for these shifts:
- 8:00-11:00 AM – Set-up Crew + Booth
- 11:00 AM-2:00 PM – Booth
- 2:00-5:00 PM – Booth
- 5:00-6:00 PM – Take-down crew
***After-Hours Cleanup Schedule***
The more volunteers, the faster the cleanup!
- Friday night - 10pm-11pm
- Sat night - 11pm- possibly 2am
- Sunday - 5:30pm-8:30pm
April 22 Pollinator Gardens - Volunteers Needed! Call KMB 912.289.1083.
Do you love playing in the dirt and sharing the importance of nature with kids?
Join KMB this Earth Day and help create pollinator gardens with local students! Come dig in! We’d love your help in making our community greener and buzzing with life!
- Pollinator Garden Project at Todd Grant Elementary with Dr. Smith’s 3rd-grade class. TIME TBD.
- Pollinator Garden Project at McIntosh Middle School with the Boys & Girls Club TIME TBD.
Spring Recycling Event - Volunteers Needed! Call KMB 912.289.1083.
Join Keep McIntosh Beautiful for our Annual Spring Community Recycling Event on Saturday, May 17, from 9 AM – 1 PM at 610 Greene St, Darien (behind McIntosh Middle School in the Episcopal parking lot). We’re making it easy for you to clear out clutter and recycle responsibly—and it’s all FREE!
WHAT WE’RE COLLECTING:
Electronics (including flat-screen TVs)
Scrap Metal & Appliances
Batteries & Ink Cartridges
CFL Light Bulbs & Fluorescent Tubes (up to 4 ft)
Household Goods
And MUCH MORE!
Drive up & drop off – our volunteers will assist with unloading!
THAT'S WHERE YOU COME IN! YOU WANT TO COME OUT AND HELP US FROM 9AM-1PM, OR JUST 1 HOUR, OR 2?
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Growing a Greener McIntosh!
Keep McIntosh Beautiful, in partnership with UGA Extension/4-HLauryn Gilmer and County Supervisor Dan Hawthorne, with the Coastal Soil & Water Conservation District proudly planted two beautiful trees at the Darien-McIntosh County Chamber of Commerce& Visitor’s Center. (We just put them in the hole and the awesome Public Works fellas actually filled in the holes that they had dug earlier).
Trees are more than just a scenic addition—they’re essential to our community’s health, providing shade, improving air quality, and enhancing our natural landscape. These plantings are a symbol of our commitment to preserving and beautifying McIntosh County for both residents and visitors to enjoy.
A huge thank you to community champion Kat Hoyt, President & CEO of the Darien-McIntosh Chamber & Visitors Center, and Angie Groover, Vice President of Keep McIntosh Beautiful and Vice President of Southeastern Bank for their steadfast support in making this project happen!
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Lunch, Laughter, and Collaboration!
Meeting with Lea, the Executive Director of Keep Golden Isles Beautiful is always a pleasure! Shared ideas, discussed challenges, and celebrated the successes of our efforts to keep our communities clean and beautiful.It’s always inspiring to connect with a kindred spirit who understands the passion behind this work. Excited for possible collaborations ahead! #StrongerTogether
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April is Earth Month – Let’s Make a Difference!
Our planet gives us so much—clean air, fresh water, and beautiful landscapes. This Earth Month, let’s give back! Small actions add up to big change.
*Pick up litter in your neighborhood
*Reduce, reuse, and recycle
*Plant a tree or pollinator-friendly flowers
*Walk or bike instead of driving when you can
*Conserve water and energy at home
Every action, no matter how small, helps keep McIntosh County beautiful for generations to come. Let’s work together to protect and preserve the place we call home!
How will you celebrate Earth Month?
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In The Darien News:
Our Power, Our Planet: How Pollinators Help Sustain Our Future
Tracy Sanford, Executive Director, Keep McIntosh Beautiful
"As we approach Earth Day this April 22, it's a reminder that caring for our planet is a
year-round commitment, with a major event in May highlighting our ongoing efforts to
practice sustainability every day. This is a time to reflect on how we harness
energy—both from technology and nature—to create a healthier planet. This year’s
theme, Our Power, Our Planet, reminds us that renewable energy sources like solar and
wind can reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. But energy isn’t just what powers our
homes and cars—it’s also what fuels our environment, and in McIntosh County, we’re
tapping into one of nature’s most powerful forces: pollinators.
At Keep McIntosh Beautiful, we believe that sustainability starts at the local level. We're
partnering with Dr. Megan Smith's 3rd grade class at Todd Grant Elementary School
and the Boys & Girls Club at McIntosh County Middle School to create pollinator
gardens. These gardens provide food and shelter for bees, butterflies, and other
essential pollinators, whose work ensures the growth of fruits, vegetables, and flowers.
In many ways, these tiny creatures are nature’s renewable energy source—powering
ecosystems and sustaining our food supply without depleting resources.
Just as we look to clean energy to protect our future, we must also invest in natural
solutions that keep our environment thriving. Pollinators play a critical role in
maintaining biodiversity, supporting agriculture, and even helping to combat climate
change by fostering healthy plant life that absorbs carbon dioxide. By educating our
children and engaging our community in projects like these gardens, we are not only
preserving the beauty of McIntosh County but also empowering future generations to be
stewards of the environment.
This Earth Day, let’s think beyond traditional energy and recognize the many ways we
can harness nature’s power for good. Whether by supporting pollinators, reducing
waste, or advocating for clean energy, we each have a role to play in sustaining Our
Power, Our Planet..."
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A big shoutout to the Pine Harbor Walkers & Fairhope Neighbors for their dedication to keeping McIntosh beautiful during the Great American Clean-Up on March 4, 2025!
Site: Fairhope Rd, Townsend (approx. 1.5 miles)
Results: 6 full bags of litter removed!
Finds: 3 car tires—2 headed to Mavis Tire in Brunswick for proper disposal, and 1 awaits chainsaw work to free it from a fallen tree.
Special thanks to Barbara Hawthorne and Cheryl Shedd for leading the charge! It was a perfect clean-up day—breezy, cool, sunny, and best of all... NO GNATS!
| | Congrats Vickie and Mike & Terry and Pat on your Silent Auction Kayak Tour win with Lisa Brewer, and THANK YOU for supporting KMB! “We ate lunch on an island we claimed as ours!” Beautiful day to be out on the water! | | | |
Strengthening Our Communities Through Litter Law Enforcement
In Midway on March 27, officers, officials, and community advocates came together for a hands-on Litter Law Enforcement Training led by Scott Carroll, Certified Georgia POST Instructor. This free training provided a valuable refresher on state litter laws, sparking meaningful conversations and even earning attendees credit hours.
A big thank you to Keep Liberty Beautiful for leading the charge and to Keep McIntosh Beautiful, Keep Savannah Beautiful, and Keep Golden Isles Beautiful for co-hosting this impactful event. With support from a Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation grant, we were proud to offer this opportunity to empower local enforcement and inspire positive change.
Some facts left us speechless - 4.5 trillion cigarette butts are littered every year.
Have we really grown so used to this that we accept it? And the Broken Windows Theory? It's a stark reminder of how tolerating small acts of littering can lead to even bigger problems.
We're hopeful this is just the beginning, and we look forward to hosting another training in the future. Let's keep pushing for cleaner, safer communities!
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Here are just a few actions you could take today:
- Pick up litter along your street.
- Ask your coffee shop for a mug instead of a disposable cup.
- Plant something native.
- Purchase something from a sustainable company.
What else can you think of?
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APRIL 11, 12 & 13
Opportunities to Volunteer with KMB at the Blessing of the Fleet! Call KMB 912.289.1083.
APRIL 22
We'll be celebrating Earth Day 2025 by planting Pollinator Gardens at Todd Grant and McIntosh Middle School Boys & Girls Club! Partnering with UGA Extension/4H. Call KMB 912.289.1083 to volunteer!
MAY 17
Spring Community Recycle Event behind McIntosh Middle School, Episcopal lot, 610 Greene St. Darien. 9am-1pm. Want to volunteer? Call KMB 912.289.1083.
JUNE 11
KMB KickOff Summer Reading Program at the Ida Hilton Library! 3pm.
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Every community deserves to be clean and beautiful! Join the Greatest American Cleanup Spring campaign - volunteer, organize a cleanup, or pick up 25 pieces of litter for the #greatest25 challenge.
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SAVE THE DATE! MAY 17
McIntosh Community Spring Recycle Event
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A BIG THANKS TO ALL OF OUR ADOPT-A HIGHWAY, PARK OR SPOT VOLUNTEERS THROUGHOUT MCINTOSH COUNTY! Please send me pictures of your pickups. You'll inspire others! There are still plenty of miles and places needing some TLC. Please consider making this a way you help keep our community clean, green and beautiful!
INFO AND APPLICATIONS ONLINE!
OR CALL TRACY 912-289-1083
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ABANDONED BUILDING PROGRAM
Looking for a way to remove an abandoned building or mobile home from your property? Keep McIntosh Beautiful may be able to help.
*Activities should resume as usual. A demo-dispose contractor has been found and we're in the process of vetting. Thank you for your patience!
Dilapidated and abandoned buildings are eyesores that detract from our community’s appearance and reduce the value of the property where they are located. They can also be unsafe and unhealthy nuisances that are locations for criminal activity.
To address the problem in McIntosh County, KMB offers financial assistance to OWNERS for the demolition and removal of abandoned buildings from THEIR property. We salvage and recycle what can safely be removed.
STRUCTURES MUST BE LOCATED IN MCINTOSH COUNTY, UNOCCUPIED, AND BEYOND REPAIR TO QUALIFY.
Thank you to the many dedicated partners that help with this program. You are appreciated!
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