Keep South Carolina Beautiful Network Expands with Allendale and Barnwell Additions

May 26, 2023

Columbia, SC (May 26, 2023) – Keep South Carolina Beautiful (KSCB), the state affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, Inc. (KAB), and a division of PalmettoPride, welcomes Allendale and Barnwell Counties to its expanding community-based Network of Affiliates with the certification of Keep Allendale County Beautiful (KACB) and Keep Barnwell County Beautiful (KBCB) respectively. By having the two counties join the affiliate network, the entire 7-county SouthernCarolina region of South Carolina is now affiliated with KSCB.

”We are thrilled to have Allendale and Barnwell Counties join the Keep America Beautiful affiliate network. This achievement is a result of several years of specific work done to address the challenges rural communities face when it comes to litter. We look forward to the beautiful initiatives these affiliates will do that will result in a brighter economic future for these counties,” said Mallory Coffey, Director of Affiliate Development at Keep America Beautiful. 

In 2021, PalmettoPride presented SouthernCarolina Alliance (SCA) with a Litter Task Force Grant to establish Litter Prevention Programs in Allendale and Barnwell Counties and to assist in the existing county of Bamberg. According to the 2020 Keep America Beautiful Litter Study litter is a challenge everywhere, but especially so in rural counties with more open landscapes and unincorporated roads. This funding supports litter prevention in these counties, which will in turn boost both economic and community development across the region. 

“SCA is honored to have been selected as a recipient of PalmettoPride’s Litter Task Force Grant for three counties in our region. Through the grant, we were able to create a regional pilot program to beautify the SCA region by cleaning up our roadways, industrial parks, downtowns, neighborhoods, and waterways. SCA’s program has included litter cleanup events, educational programs in schools and community libraries, resource distribution, and recycling.” said SCA's Marketing Assoicate Graci Hiers.

During the grant period, community leaders in Allendale and Barnwell Counties decided to take the ongoing litter prevention efforts a step further and began the process to join the KAB Network of Affiliates. “Both affiliates set out with the mission of empowering citizens to improve their communities through beautification, litter prevention, and waste reduction and management efforts. The certification process is extensive and can take up to a year as the affiliate develops bylaws and strategic plans, recruits board members, and markets themselves to their community,” said Hiers.

KACB and KBCB, both being located in rural counties, were able to attend joint trainings together with KAB and PalmettoPride. With each other’s and SCA’s support, both affiliates were able to complete the certification process in just a few months. 

KACB worked diligently to receive their certification on February 16, 2023. With an outpouring of support from businesses and industries in Allendale County, students at USC Salkehatchie, and other groups and organizations, visitors traveling through Allendale County have said they see a noticeable difference in roadside litter, and this encouragement truly continues to motivate volunteers to clean up the county. “The Keep Allendale County Beautiful board is proud of our new development,” said Cindy Deer, the KACB Board Chair. “We are changing our citizens’ views on litter through education, recycling and making them aware of litter laws.”

Shortly after KACB received their certification, KBCB followed received theirs on April 11, 2023. In the months leading up to this, KBCB hosted several litter cleanups and engaged around 700 volunteers. From hosting “Litter Free Story Time” sessions at the Barnwell County Library to visits from the Columbia Marionette Theatre with showings of “Litter Trashes Everyone” at Barnwell Primary School and Barnwell Elementary School, KBCB made sure the lead generation of the county is educated on beautification efforts. “The KBCB goal is to implement our ‘3Es’ initiative; Enlightenment, Education and Enforcement in our litter prevention program,” said Councilman Ben Kinlaw, Executive Director of KBCB. “Our primary focus is continuous improvement through the 3Es that affords us the opportunity to work toward prevention of litter and beautification projects.”

Keep Allendale County Beautiful and Keep Barnwell County Beautiful join the now 38 active local affiliates across South Carolina.  “Our affiliate network helps South Carolina to be a leader in addressing litter,” said Joseph Berry, PalmettoPride’s KSCB Affiliate Services and Special Projects Manager. “They are the local leaders in finding solutions that work in individual communities and are made up of passionate people who want to see their communities be a better place.”

For more information on Keep South Carolina Beautiful, contact info@palmettopride.org.

For more information about SCA's Regional Beautification Marketing Program, contact Graci Hiers at: ghiers@southerncarolina.org.

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PalmettoPride is working towards a litter-free South Carolina. Created as a legislative initiative to fight litter and help beautify South Carolina by engaging citizens to take action in their communities through education, enforcement, awareness, and pickup.