This month, we will accept nominations for attractive local businesses in Liberty County.
Since 2007, in partnership with the Liberty County Chamber of Commerce, Keep Liberty Beautiful has sponsored the Win-dex Awards to recognize local businesses that maintain attractive, litter-free properties that enhance our community.
We ask you to have a say by nominating businesses that you notice this month. Any business or public property — including schools or even churches — in Liberty County is eligible. We will select two that will be recognized at the April Progress Through People Luncheon.
Creating an attractive Liberty County is good for all of us who live here.  Appealing, clean communities attract businesses and people who might want to live here. They also are healthier places in which to thrive. So, it is, once again, time to recognize our local businesses that put out that extra effort to make our community an engaging place to live and work and — the most fun of all — shop! Our Win-dex Award winners set the standard for the way we like all our businesses to look.
These quarterly Win-dex Awards give you a chance to pick a business that you think deserves a pat on the back for looking good.  We call them the Win-dex Awards because we thought that we should recognize those businesses that are so clean, attractive and litter-free that they have a “streak-free shine.” Each business can keep its exterior or storefront neat and the landscape attractive — no matter what the size or budget of the company.   
Here are some things to think about when considering a nomination:
• Is the exterior clean and litter-free?  
• Is the landscape well-maintained?
• Is the building exterior attractive and not in need of repair?
• Is the frontage property mowed and litter-free? Or is the sidewalk and parking area clean and maintained and free of cigarette butts?
• Are there attractive plantings decorating the exterior?
• Has the business recently upgraded or renovated? This could be a simple paint job, a full-scale renovation or a new building.
• Is the entryway inviting?
• Is the business a good citizen that works to maintain the roadway or frontage of their property?
Just take a look around you, and don’t hesitate if you want to nominate your own business or the business you work for. Many businesses are out there that deserve recognition. Nomination forms are available by calling us at 880-4888 or emailing keeplibertycountybeautiful@gmail.com or calling the chamber at 368-4445. We will accept nominations through March 31.  
It’s also an exciting month for us because, near the end of the month, we will announce local homeowners who were nominated for our new HomeProud program, which recognizes homes and yards that make our community look great. We want to thank the Coastal Courier and Liberty Life magazine for partnering with us on this new program, as well as the many homeowners out there who made selecting the first recognitions for this program a hard job. We have so much to be proud of here in Liberty County and, yes, we also have many more things we can do to enhance this wonderful community we have.