An essential element of a vibrant, attractive community is clean, inviting, thriving neighborhoods.  

We have a number of neighborhoods in our county that are doing their part to be the best that they can be. We try to support these neighborhoods and their forward-thinking leaders by providing programs to make their efforts even more successful.

These Keep Liberty Beautiful programs acknowledge their efforts and provide supplies, tools and recognition for their neighborhood projects.

The N.E.A.T. Neighborhoods Program is one of our favorites!  What are  N.E.A.T. Neighborhoods?  

N  — They never take the appearance of their neighborhood for granted.

E  — They encourage homeowners to take pride in their yards and the roads and entryways to their communities.

A  — They always keep their yards and streets clean.

T  — They tell everyone that they care about where they live by making them look beautiful!

Wouldn’t you like to live in a N.E.A.T. Neighborhood?  

The N.E.A.T. Neighborhoods program offers recognition of the neighborhood’s improvement and cleanup projects each quarter. We provide an entry sign for each neighborhood that has a cleanup or improvement project to display at its community entrance for a quarter. It is a small gesture but one that, I hope, encourages all who enter each neighborhood to help keep it clean and attractive.

We also can help by loaning cleanup supplies and equipment and, at times, providing resources for special community-improvement projects ideas. So join some neat activities where you live, or start an improvement effort in your neighborhood yourself. Every neighborhood needs that one person who will step up and encourage others to take ownership of their community. Any neighborhood interested in holding a cleanup or improvement day can call us at 880-4888 or email us at klcb@coastalnow.net.

Several of our current N.E.A.T. Neighborhoods also are starting a Yard of the Quarter Recognition in their neighborhoods to encourage neighbors to keep their yards attractive in a friendly competition each quarter. If you think your neighborhood would benefit from an effort like this, KLB can provide a sign to use each quarter.

Even if you are not a current N.E.A.T. Neighborhood, contact us if you are interested. Our goal is have as many neighborhoods as possible participate in community-improvement efforts.

Another popular KLB program is Adopt Liberty, which encourages groups, churches, businesses and neighbors to “adopt” local streets and public venues. Adopt Liberty, which is sponsored by KLB in conjunction with local municipal governments, serves as an umbrella for several “adopting” possibilities in our county and cities. The idea is to create public interest and support for local roads, bodies of water, neighborhoods and public green spaces.

We all seem to take better care of things when we assume ownership of them. It seems to be the same for communities, roads, streets and neighborhoods. When we take ownership of public areas, everyone seems to respect those areas and to treat them better. “Adopted” roads stay cleaner with less litter. Neighborhoods that are taken care are of statistically have less vandalism and other crimes. All major litter-research studies show that litter decreases in areas where the community has taken a personal responsibility in maintaining those areas. Evidently, it is easier for some people to litter when they think that no one cares. The Adopt Liberty program shows that someone cares about these areas.

Adopters can be individuals or families, neighborhood groups, civic organizations, youth and school groups, church groups, clubs or businesses. We have a few that have been adopted in memory and in honor of loved ones. We want your “adoption” to be meaningful to you and/or your group. It may be the neighborhood street you live on, roads you bike or the road near your church. We want you to pick an area that matters because then you will want to care for it.

In the program, we ask you to:

• commit for a minimum of a year. Most of our adopters continue for the long term for the area they adopt.

• try to have a cleanup or project once a quarter at minimum.

• submit basic information on each cleanup

• let us know a week ahead if you need any loaned supplies. We can provide safety vests, garbage bags, work gloves, water and litter-pick-up tools. We also can arrange for pick-up of large debris and garbage, if needed, with adequate notice.

Keep Liberty Beautiful will print road signs and have them installed in your area — with your approval — noting your adopted spot or road location. The signage is important; we want to recognize your effort, of course, but it also makes a powerful statement to those who see the signs that a clean community matters.

If you are interested in any of these Keep Liberty Beautiful programs, contact us and get involved. A beautiful community is waiting for you to make a difference.