Tuesday, March 16, 2021

 

Community Partner Highlight: Keep Denton Beautiful

Hey everyone, we're excited to bring you an exclusive conversation with Keep Denton Beautiful. Keep reading to learn more from Carly Weld, their volunteer coordinator!

  1. Your name and title?

Carly Weld, Volunteer Coordinator 

  1. What is your organization and what does it do?

Keep Denton Beautiful programs create a clean, beautiful, and vibrant Denton through four program areas - litter clean up and abatement, beautification, urban forestry, and youth education.

  1. What is your organization’s mission?

KDB’s mission is to engage the community to create a clean and beautiful Denton. 

  1. Why did you choose to work in this field?

While earning my undergraduate degree, I became interested in how public spaces were used and specifically how they were transformed into community gardens. I entered the nonprofit sector wanting to make a difference. From there, volunteer coordination found me. I love working with people and connecting them with their communities! 

  1. What led you to work with the Center for Leadership and Service?

In Denton, we are incredibly fortunate to have passionate, community-focused college students. The Center for Leadership and Service has been a resource for us to engage those students. We got to know the great staff at CLS when we attended events like the Mean Green Fling and the VolUNTeer Fair.

  1. What is your favorite initiative that you have worked on so far?

The Cigarette Litter Prevention Program – I have learned so much by coordinating the program and am always excited to share the knowledge I’ve gained. Cigarette butts are the number one most littered item in the U.S. and the filters are made of plastic – cellulose acetate. It’s the same plastic that makes sunglass frames and plastic lumber. Because filters are plastic, using a special process developed by Terracycle, they too can be recycled! Since starting at KDB in fall 2018, we’ve recycled XXXXXX butts – that’s XX miles or the distance between X and X!

  1. What would you say to students who want to get involved?

Jump right in! We’d love to work with you. Volunteers are an essential ingredient in keeping Denton beautiful, and engagement is our first step. Reach out directly, follow us on social media, and subscribe to our newsletter.