Keep Iowa Beautiful
Richard Herrmann Photo
May 2021 Newsletter
Pick-Up Iowa Events are Creating Change in Communities Across Iowa!
Pick-Up Iowa events are happening all across the state from now through June! Check out a couple highlights from recent Pick-Up Iowa events:
Easton Valley Elementary School
Preston, IA
The Easton Valley 6th grade elementary students cleaned up Twogood Park and Westside Park.
Clarinda Community Trail Group
Clarinda, IA
Members of the community spent an afternoon cleaning up along the Clarinda Community Trail.
Clarinda Community Trail group
Cedar Valley Cyclists
Waterloo & Cedar Falls, IA
The Cedar Valley Cyclists celebrated Earth day with a 50-person cleanup. The event was also the first test of the Keep Iowa Beautiful Karras Cart.
Cedar Valley Cyclists
2021 Build with Bags Grants Awarded to 9 Iowa Communities
New park benches, planters and picnic tables will help to beautify parks and schools throughout Iowa this spring and summer, courtesy of the Build with Bags Program!
 
Nine Iowa communities will be receiving grants of up to $2,000 to purchase items made from recycled plastic bags. Items include park benches made by Plastic Recycling of Iowa Falls. One park bench represents approximately 10,600 bags that won’t end up in the landfill.

Build with Bags is a cooperative effort of the Iowa Grocery Industry Association, Keep Iowa Beautiful, Metro Waste Authority in Des Moines and Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Originally launched in August 2009, the Build with Bags Grant program has awarded $365,594.20 in grants to approximately 250 Iowa communities.

To view this year's grant recipients, check out The Iowa Grocery Industry Association website:  http://www.iowagrocers.com/build-with-bags-winners.cfm
RAGBRAI Founders Statue Dedication at Waterworks Park in Des Moines
Cycling enthusiasts gathered at Waterworks Park in Des Moines to dedicate the Founders Statue of John Karras and Donald Kaul, the founders of RAGBRAI. 

City Council member Carl Voss introduced John Karras and Donald Kaul’s family member. Keep Iowa Beautiful’s Program Planner, Tim Lane, assisted Karras in unveiling the “Karras Cart”, said Kevin Techau, Keep Iowa Beautiful Executive Director. “The Prototype can be towed behind a bicycle for collection of litter along bike trails.”
Thank You Kum & Go!
Keep Iowa Beautiful was the recent recipient of a grant from the Kum & Go Foundation in the amount of $1,000. These funds will be used to support the Coralville Community Mural Project, a partnership between KIB and the City of Coralville along with the Coralville Arts Commission. These organizations have identified the Iowa River Landing area as the ideal location for this installation. The City of Coralville is home to just over 21,000 residents and over 300,000 visitors each year. 

Keep Iowa Beautiful would like to extend a big THANK YOU the Kum & Go Foundation for their support!
Kum and Go Logo
You Can Stop Litter!
When you see litter happening on Iowa’s roadways from a vehicle, Call 1-888-665-4887
Please provide as much detail about the incident as possible:
  • License plate number 
  • Time and specific location (street & city)
  • What was thrown from the vehicle
  • A vehicle description (color, make and model)

Call 1.888.NOLITTR (1-888-665-4887) to report littering from a vehicle.
Social Media Submissions
Keep Iowa Beautiful wants to share your community’s good news!
Are you proud of a completed project in your town? Do you want to show off a new mural in your downtown? Did you host a fun, exciting event for your community? We want to know about it!

Click on the button below to share short descriptions of events, projects, or news from your town! You can include pictures and captions as well. Keep Iowa Beautiful will share your post on our social media!
Your Support Matters!

Keep Iowa Beautiful is a non-profit organization and, as such, relies on your support to ensure the success of our environmental education and community outreach programs.

Donations will help KIB's efforts to support our community. Any amount is valued and appreciated. 

Donations can be made online or checks can be mailed to our office:
Keep Iowa Beautiful
2910 Westown Pkwy #302,
West Des Moines, IA 50266
KEEP IOWA BEAUTIFUL
2910 Westown Parkway, Suite 302 | West Des Moines, IA 50266