Dr. Karen Bell
Keep Liberty Beautiful
The third week of the new year is underway, and Keep Liberty Beautiful (KLB) is energized and ready to engage the community in a year of environmental action and volunteer service across Liberty County. January is often a time of reflection and renewal, and KLB is encouraging residents to turn that motivation into meaningful impact in 2026.
January inspires people to make changes that truly matter. One of the most powerful changes any of us can make is choosing to serve our community. Volunteering improves our environment, strengthens connections, and even improves our personal well-being.
Research shows that volunteers often report feeling happier, more fulfilled, and more connected to their communities. Those benefits, combined with the positive environmental outcomes, make service especially meaningful.
When you volunteer, you’re not just picking up litter or planting a tree. You are investing in your health, your neighborhood, and the future of Liberty County.
In 2026, KLB is expanding outreach and education efforts to ensure more residents understand the organization’s mission and opportunities to get involved.
Keep Liberty Beautiful focuses on four core areas:
• litter cleanup and eradication
• recycling and waste reduction
• water quality and conservation
• growing a cleaner, greener community
We want our community to know that KLB is more than an event organization, we are an education and action partner. We attend school programs, church events, business activities, and community gatherings so people of all ages can learn how to protect and beautify our environment.
February places a special spotlight on trees in celebration of Georgia Arbor Day, observed on the third Friday of the month. A strong tree canopy does more than make our community beautiful. Trees cool our neighborhoods, improve our air quality, provide shade and wildlife habitat, and remind us of the gift of nature.
KLB will host its annual Arbor Day Tree Giveaway on February 20-21, offering 300 trees for planting across the community. Volunteers are needed to help tag, organize, and distribute trees, and reservations open February 1, 2026.
We especially encourage youth groups, civic organizations, schools, churches, and families to plant trees together. Planting a tree is an act of hope.
Also in February, KLB will hold its quarterly Recycle It! Fairs in Midway and Walthourville on February 21, 2026. The fairs collect electronics, batteries, hazardous household items, and offer secure document shredding. Cleaning out old storage areas and safely disposing of hazardous materials protects our environment and gives residents peace of mind. Every item we keep out of the landfill makes a difference. Volunteers are welcome to assist in setup, traffic flow, and material collection.
From March through June, KLB will partner with neighborhoods, cities, and community groups for the annual Great American Cleanup. Volunteers are the heart of the Great American Cleanup. Every year, our residents prove that Liberty County is a place where people care about where they live.
In April, KLB will host its largest community education event of the year! The 2026 Earth Day Celebration is scheduled for Saturday, April 18, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Bryant Commons in Hinesville.
We welcome sponsors, exhibitors, and volunteers who want to be part of this incredible event. Earth Day reminds us that this planet is our shared home, and it is our responsibility to protect it. Booth reservations are now open.
This spring, KLB will work on Mobile Garden projects with schools and organizations and provide some potential educational workshops. Are you looking for a project for your church, business, social group, or neighborhood? KLB has project ideas that allow young and older citizens to get their hands dirty and make the world prettier. We are also focused on adding more edible gardens to the community.
We love projects that get people outdoors and working together. Gardening connects young and older citizens alike while teaching sustainability, nutrition, and care for the earth. KLB is available to help churches, civic clubs, neighborhoods, and businesses with beautification initiatives.
My hope is that 2026 becomes the year that more people say, “Yes, I want to make a difference.” Every hour of service, every cleanup, every tree planted moves our community forward.
For more information or to sign up as a volunteer, contact Keep Liberty Beautiful at klcb@libertycountyga. gov or visit www.keeplibertybeautiful. org.
Join us. Together, we can Keep Liberty County Beautiful in 2026 and beyond.