The 2012 Annual Great American Cleanup will start on March 1 and last until May 31.
Planting sunflowers and environmental education presentations for grades Pre-K through third will be given between March 1 and May 18, while the environmental poster contest for grades 4 and 5 will be held between March 1 and April 20.
The Rain Barrel Contest for middle school students will be held between Feb. 15 and March 15.
High school students can enter the environmental essay contest during these same times.
The Annual Solid Waste Breakfast will start at 7:30 a.m. on March 9 at the Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce. Santek Environmental and Greenstream Recycling Co. are sponsoring this event with KAB.
The litter and debris removal program will work with the Long-Term Recovery Committee starting on March 10 and lasting until May 5.
This year, April 7 is the day KAB will hold its popular annual Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. New this year, paints, fluorescent lightbulbs and electronics that didn’t used to be taken at this event will be recycled this year.
Monthly awards from KAB’s Neighborhood Committee awarded St. Therese Catholic Church this award for December and Bradley Rental for January.
Olin Arch Community Advisory Panel was awarded the White Glove Award for January.
The total of all the schools participating in KAB’s American Recycles Challenge recycling program last year included 10,921 students who recycled 11,018 items.
“Our kids are doing an amazing job,” said Joanne Maskew, KAB executive director. New this year, the Boys & Girls Clubs may join in the recycling challenge as well.
Providing the recycling totals to KAB, the local Coca-Cola company also is working closely with area students on the challenge program.
The next KAB meeting will be held on Feb. 22 at the Chamber.
For more information or to volunteer, call Joanne Maskew, executive director for KAB, at 559-3307 or e-mail her at clevebradkab@charterinternet.com.
In other business:
— Executive Director Maskew had one of her articles published in KAB’s “Great American Cleanup 2011 Report.” Titled “Mobilizing Volunteers and Improving Communities All Across America,” the article reported how KAB’s cleanup efforts took on greater meaning and significance after the April storms and tornadoes destroyed parts of the Cleveland/Bradley County area last year.
— The Cleveland KAB again earned a President’s Circle Recognition Award from the national KAB organization. The Cleveland KAB has earned this award every year since its first inception in 2003. These awards are given to recognize programs that help prevent litter, beautify the environment in the community, and help reduce waste.
— Four cases were referred to the Environmental Court.
— KAB received $500 from the Walmart South store and a $2,000 grant from the Johnson Foundation.
