Community Pride Seeking Entries for Environmental Improvements

Do you know of a group that cleaned up a particularly trashy area in Charleston County?

Community Pride, Inc. of Charleston wants to hear from you. The nonprofit organization that promotes environmental stewardship by the residents of Charleston County recognizes several groups every year for efforts to beautify or improve the environment in the county every year. Individuals, garden clubs, youth groups, businesses, and governments or civic organizations
are eligible to be nominated for awards.

The nomination period for the 2012 awards is now open. Nominations must be received by March 31, 2013, for projects done between March 2012 and March 2013. Contact Angela Crouch at acrouch@clemson.edu or 843-722-5940 ext. 112 for entry forms and the full set of rules. Entry forms may also be downloaded via the Community Pride website.

Award winners will be recognized at the Annual Community Pride Award Presentation, at noon on Friday, May 17, 2013 at Park Circle in North Charleston.

Anyone may nominate a group or individual for one of the eight award categories:

• Garden Club Awards — Environmental Education Award - Club contributing the most to environmental education efforts (Book of evidence required); Community Improvement Award – Club demonstrating the greatest improvement to community (Book of evidence required) — first place: $75, second place: $ 50
• Adopt-A-Highway Awards — Awards given to group that exceeds in participation/results (miles cleaned, number of pick-ups, pounds collected, recycling, and number of volunteers), to group that generates enthusiasm and interest (how group made pick-ups fun, why members were excited, number of participants, and group longevity) and to group that has impacted the community (road less littered, created pride, area appears cleaner) — Three Awards: $50 each.
• Johnnie Dodds Education Award — Award that is given to individuals or youth groups who perform outstanding community service through clean-up or beautification efforts. Examples include Adopt-A-Highway, Dune, Beach, Waterway, or Block and/or school, neighborhood, or church service projects — first place: $100, second place: $75, third place: $50.
• Captain Pride Award — Given to the top 10 individuals, businesses, governments, or civic organizations that have undertaken tasks that have significantly improved the environment.
• Spirit of Cooperation Award — Given to individuals, businesses, government municipalities or civic organizations that have partnered to undertake projects that have significantly improved the environment. The projects must have been sustainable for a minimum of 1 year.
• Mammie Williams Award — A very special award for the recipient who embodies the spirit of Mammie and is given to a most deserving individual, who has demonstrated excellence in improving a particular area or assumed a project beyond the usual “Pride” work.
• Gene Ott Award — Given to an outstanding businessperson who has improved his/her business through environmental stewardship efforts, landscaping and/or architectural restoration or other significant improvements.
• Barrett S. Lawrimore Award — An award of top honors given to an individual who has demonstrated excellence in community pride and has exhibited leadership and served his/her community at the local level and beyond.