Working with volunteers is a joy. At Keep Liberty Beautiful we average 4,400 volunteers helping with projects each year, so that is a lot of joy.

All of our volunteer have their own reasons for volunteering. Some have grown up volunteering with us and have a special place in my heart.

I joined KLB in 2006 and a number of kids began "volunteering" with their families in my first few years. Some of them were as young as 3 or 4. It has been fun to watch them grow and still maintain their commitment to KLB. Many of them have blossomed into outstanding community and school volunteers. They use their leadership skills and their desire to give back to make a positive differenc.

One of them is Felix Linzan. Felix just graduated from the University of Georgia and will be moving to Macon to start a career. I asked him to share his volunteer journey with KLB and he graciously accepted:

"Being with Keep Liberty Beautiful since 2010 has been an incredible journey. I first volunteered with KLB with a project as a part of my high school’s Beta Club at Bradwell Institute. I was really not looking for an organization that I would be actively involved with. As a teenager, I just saw this moment as a requirement for my community service to be part of BETA Club and to complete for high school graduation.

"When I realized that volunteers, like my fellow students and me, could really make a difference by growing community gardens and helping with litter cleanups and other projects, I would always go out of my way to help volunteer on the weekends and to give back to my community through Keep Liberty Beautiful. I remember, while planting one of the community gardens, that I thought if only more children and teens and adults in our community could be as dedicated to a cause, that our cities and county would be litter-free and moving towards a greener tomorrow.

"Once I graduated from high school, I was off to the University of Georgia, where my efforts and passion grew much stronger. I would come home for clean-up events, like Rivers Alive and the annual St. Catherine’s Beach Sweep. These events were fun and also for a worthy cause. The summer of my freshman year, I interned with KLB, discovering even more about all of the hard work, planning, and dedication that goes into all of Keep Liberty Beautiful’s programming and events. Being deeply involved gave me a perspective on the importance of the KLB programs and how they can make a long range difference for our community. Our efforts to clean and beautify Liberty County and to educate local residents are just the beginning of the KLB vision. While we are still far from done, continuing to educate children in our schools and local adult residents to make greener decisions and to live a greener lifestyle will help future generations to protect our environment and to help our community to be the best place it can be.

"Continuing my involvement with Keep Liberty Beautiful throughout college was the biggest blessing I could ask for. Little did I know that I would be acknowledged for my hard work and be recognized as the Recipient of the 2015 Keep Georgia Beautiful Foundation Student of the Year Award. I am delighted to be able to spend the next two months working with KLB before I move to Macon in September for my new job..."

If you would like to find out more information about volunteering for you and your family, contact Keep Liberty Beautiful at 880 4888 or klcb@coastalnow.net.