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Looking for businesses with holiday shine
Keep Liberty Beautiful
Keep Liberty Beautiful logo

I love this time of year. All the lights and decorations really can make our community look pretty. It would be wonderful if we all made that kind of effort all year long.
Creating an attractive Liberty County is good for all of us who live here. How our community looks — from our gateways to our business districts and our neighborhoods — defines what our community is all about. I think we all want that to be positive, but it takes all of us looking for ways to improve our appearances where we live, work and play.
Whether you realize it or not, we are affected by what these areas look like. We all benefit when these community areas represent us well. Attractive, clean communities draw people who might want to live here and businesses that might want to move here. They also are healthier places for us to thrive in.
We always appreciate those around us who are working toward creating the best community possible. Once again, it is time to recognize local businesses that make that extra effort to make our community an engaging place in which to live, work and — most fun of all — to shop. In December, we will accept nominations for our quarterly Win-dex Awards through Dec. 31. Keep Liberty Beautiful and the Liberty County Chamber of Commerce recognize two local businesses each quarter for being attractive and litter-free. These establishments set the standard for the way all our businesses should look. You can have a say in what businesses are selected by sending in a nomination.
I know it is the holidays and how busy that can be. So decide now what business you would like to nominate before things start getting holiday-crazy.
Since 2008, the Win-dex Awards program has recognized a variety of local businesses that make the extra effort to present attractive, inviting appearances. The program is designed to encourage our business community and local citizens to remember that we are what we look like to those who visit our community. So let’s put our best foot forward and try to always look great.
We call these honors the Win-dex Awards because we thought that we should recognize those businesses that are so clean, attractive and litter-free that they would have a “streak-free shine.” Each business can keep its exterior or storefront neat and its landscape attractive, no matter what the size or budget of the company.
With the holidays coming up, businesses are even more attractive with all of the decorations, so pick one that really stands out to you.
When making your nomination, remember the usual criteria for selection:
• 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?
• Are the sidewalk and parking area clean and maintained?
• Are there attractive plantings decorating the exterior?
• Have they recently upgraded or renovated?
• Is the entryway inviting?
• And since it is the holidays, do the decorations enhance the business?
There are plenty of these attractive businesses out there. I see them every day, but it is not up to me — it is up to you. Just take a look around you. Don’t hesitate if you want to nominate your own business or the business that you work for. Many businesses out there deserve recognition. Make that happen with your nomination.
Nomination forms are available by calling KLB at 880-4888  or the chamber of commerce at 368-4445. You also can email your choice and the reason they should be selected to klcb@coastalnow.net.
Awards will be announced Jan. 22 at the chamber’s monthly Progress Through People Luncheon. Don’t forget to check out our website, www.keeplibertybeautiful.org, as well as Facebook to keep up with KLB activities.

Swida is director of Keep Liberty Beautiful

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