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Executive Director Report
February has been a flurry of excitement and has always been one of my favorite months of the year—time when we can show and sow love and kindness. One of my grands told me one time—"you cannot spell EARTH without the word H-E-A-R-T". With that, I can't wait until spring, to see the daffodil bulbs that all of you have planted across the state. We want to thank Van Zyverden in Meridian for donating extra bulbs to be planted in our state. We will see them blooming at the Governor's Mansion all the way to the beautiful Gulf Coast. So please be on the look out and let us know about the beauty that these early spring blooms bring to you.

Jan and I had the pleasure to be with Sue Smith, National Trainer for Keep America Beautiful, as we set a Keep America Beautiful record—we trained five new affiliates in four days! I want to congratulate Keep Crystal Springs Beautiful, Keep Greenwood/Leflore County Beautiful, Keep Ripley Beautiful, Keep Iuka Beautiful and Keep Fulton Beautiful. We are excited to bring these communities into the Keep Mississippi Beautiful family. Keep Mississippi Beautiful will have a total of 55 affiliates!

In closing, thank you to all of our affiliates that are busy planning their Great American Cleanup Events. Please register GAC events on the Keep America Beautiful dashboard.

Keep Belzoni Beautiful has been chosen as the 2022 Keep Mississippi Beautiful Great American Cleanup State Site. We know all of you will want to come out and support Belzoni's Executive Director, Chandra Hines, and her team on this great day in Belzoni. The date will be announced soon.

We look forward to seeing all of you Thursday, April 28 for our Annual Awards Luncheon, and Friday April 29, for our Keep Mississippi Beautiful Affiliate Conference.

Sarah
Dig, Drop, and Done!

From December through February, Keep Mississippi Beautiful distributed over 50,000 narcissus bulbs to our affiliates, our state parks, and to community volunteers around the state. Dig, drop, cover and done: Narcissus are easy to plant, reliable, and nostalgic flowers with large blooms that enhance any area where they are grown.

Please send us photos of your blooms and bouquets!
KMB Award Applications Due March 3
 
Keep Mississippi Beautiful affiliates are called to submit at least one award application into our awards program each year. An award submission is one of the requirements for inclusion in the KMB Circle of Excellence and qualifying benefits.

The other annual requirements to maintain Circle of Excellence and Keep America Beautiful's President's Circle include completing an annual litter index, submitting annual KAB reports, and paying the annual KAB affiliate fee.
Save the Date—April 29
Keep Mississippi Beautiful Conference
Conferences brings communities together to share, learn, and celebrate.

Keep Mississippi Beautiful will host a conference April 29, 2022 at Holmes Community College at the Workforce Training Center, in Ridgeland, Miss. Due to the cancellations of the Keep Alabama/Mississippi Conferences, we are offering a one-day conference for our affiliates on Friday, April 29, the day after our annual awards luncheon. Keep America Beautiful representatives, a teacher with an award-winning environmental program, thought-provoking panelists, and an opportunity to share ideas with other affiliates will be some of the highlights. Registration details and the agenda will be forthcoming. Attendees will want to stay until the end so they will be "in the house" when we do a fun drawing at the end of the conference.
Keep Mississippi Beautiful is Growing

Keep Mississippi Beautiful staff and Keep America Beautiful national trainer Sue Smith have been on the move meeting with movers and shakers around the state. These community groups are excited to be doing the work to join the Keep American Beautiful/Keep Mississippi Beautiful network. We thank these wonderful communities for their warm welcomes and hospitality.
Photos from KMB travels across our state.
Keep Mississippi Beautiful Board of Directors
Keep Mississippi Beautiful board of directors met at the McClain Resort General Store for the annual December meeting. Hosting the meeting was board member Joni McClain. In addition to providing expertise and guidance, our board members "dig in" and volunteer at affiliate and KMB events.
Future Dates
March 3 KMB Award Nominations Due.
April 28 KMB Annual Awards Luncheon, Country Club of Jackson
April 29 8:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. KMB Affiliate Conference
Conference Location, Holmes Community College Workforce Center, Ridgeland, MS
To add an event to our "Future Dates" email jan@keepmsbeautiful.com, assistant director, Keep Mississippi Beautiful.