News Releases

Keep Grapevine Beautiful Names 2012-13 Board Members

GRAPEVINE, TEXAS -- October 2012 -- Keep Grapevine Beautiful (KGVB), a volunteer organization dedicated to a clean, litter-free and beautiful city for everyone's health and enjoyment, appointed its board of directors for October 1, 2012 - September 30, 2013. The KGVB board of directors is comprised of officers, city liaisons and committee chairs who collectively oversee the organization's activities, recruit volunteers, and participate in fundraising efforts.

The executive committee is as follows: Kathy Reece - president; Socrates Villarreal - vice president; Dave Orphey - secretary; and Jana Villarreal - treasurer. Overseeing KGVB's five primary committees are the following chairpersons: Bruce Ogletree - litter and recycling; Elizabeth Temple - beautification; Claudia Parker - water quality and conservation; Nathan Loftice - education ; and Tracy Southers - marketing. The youth representatives are Maria Pohlman, Grapevine High School, and Hira Saleem, Colleyville Heritage High School. Other board members include Rusty Walker from the Grapevine Parks and Recreation Maintenance Department, Dewey Stoffels from Grapevine Environmental Services Department, and Mary Jo Tellin, KGVB executive director.

The KGVB board of directors meet the first Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m. at Grapevine City Hall. Meetings are open to the  public and citizen participation is welcome. For more information about KGVB activities and volunteer opportunities, call 817-410-3490 or go to www.kgvb.org.

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Keep Grapevine Beautiful is Looking for a Few Good Yards

Home owners, neighborhoods and businesses eligible for monthly landscaping awards

GRAPEVINE, TX – April 9, 2012 – Keep Grapevine Beautiful (KGVB), whose mission it is to preserve and enhance the local natural environment, is kicking off its 2012 Best Landscaping Awards Program and searching for the "best dressed" yards in Grapevine in the following categories: private residence, neighborhood association, and business. Citizen nominations can be done online at www.kgvb.org under the Get Involved section.

Grapevine residents Ed and Joetta King were KGVB's Yard of the Month winners in November 2011.

Each nomination is evaluated by members of the KGVB Beautification Committee and the top scoring properties are recognized for their beautification efforts. Evaluation criteria includes overall curb appeal, landscaping design, decorative accents, and environmentally-friendly infrastructure.

According to Mary Jo Tellin, executive director of KGVB, the Landscaping Awards Program was started in 2010 to reward local landscaping efforts and encourage citizen participation.

"When you drive around the City of Grapevine, time and time again your eye will catch a beautiful front yard landscape. Or perhaps the cleanliness and shine of an entire neighborhood or a local business catches your eye. Well, the time has come to recognize those citizens and businesses that work hard and take pride in making Grapevine a more beautiful place," says Tellin.

Established in 1999 through the City of Grapevine Parks and Recreation Department, Keep Grapevine Beautiful is a 501c3 charitable corporation led by a board of directors that includes officers, city liaisons and committee chairs. Program funding comes through donations and sponsorships. The organization's work is done through ongoing activities and special events via the following committees:

• Beautification
• Litter Clean Up and Prevention
• Recycling
• Water Quality and Conservation Outreach
• Education Outreach

For more information about Keep Grapevine Beautiful, go to www.kgvb.org or call 817-410-3490.