Keep PA Beautiful recently recognized five volunteers selected by local affiliates across the state with the 2021 Volunteer of the Year Award and Ellen Keefe, retiring executive director of Westmoreland Cleanways and Recycling, with the Legacy Award.

Ellen Keefe - Legacy Award

For the past 20 years, Ellen Keefe has given back to the Westmoreland County community by offering programs to residents, businesses and municipalities that address the proper disposal of solid waste through recycling, special collections, education and the cleanup of illegal dumpsites and littered areas.

Ellen oversaw the expansion of Westmoreland Cleanways and Recycling to a new, larger permanent drop-off facility and increased the types of materials collected, filling a vital need in the community and strengthening the mission of Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful.

Affiliate Volunteers Of The Year

-- Larissa Gula: Larissa was nominated by Allegheny CleanWays for her positive attitude, persistence and spirit of teamwork and community. Larissa has been a volunteer with Allegheny CleanWays since June of 2019 and has participated in 30 dumpsite cleanups with the DumpBusters program and 13 riverfront cleanups with the Tireless program. Additionally, she's taken part in several large group volunteer events to clean up litter from riverbanks and sidewalks of public rights-of-way.

-- Mike Kester: Mike was nominated by Keep Huntingdon County Beautiful for his sustained commitment to the affiliates recycling efforts. Mike has volunteered with each Tire Collection Challenge since 2017, bringing a positive, energetic attitude and relentless work ethic, working until the last car leaves or the tractor trailers are filled, whichever comes first. Since Mike joined the Keep Huntingdon County Beautiful team, more than 7,500 tires have been successfully collected and recycled.

-- Jamil Rivera: Jamil was nominated by PA CleanWays of Mifflin County for his continuous efforts to make the world a better place, including litter pickups and tire recycling. Jamil has been a valued volunteer of the affiliate for a number of years and enjoys finding rogue tires and recycling them. He enjoys the outdoors and takes pride in keeping it leaving it better than he found it.

-- Roger Austin: Roger was nominated by Keep Perry County Beautiful for his commitment, foresight and passion for the local community. Roger began volunteering with PA CleanWays in 1989 by lending a hand with a roadside illegal dump clean-up through the Adopt A Highway initiative and then the affiliate since its inception in 2009. He further propagates stewardship efforts by inviting Keep Perry County Beautiful into his classroom to give presentations and has supported the student sports teams as they complete their road-side litter clean-ups as part of the academic community service program.

-- Nancy Thorne: Nancy was nominated by Westmoreland CleanWays & Recycling for her expertise, passion, energy, and excitement. Nancy removed a colony of bees from one of CleanWays’ buildings to an apiary she built on the Westmoreland CleanWays & Recycling grounds. Nancy continues to provide supervision and maintenance of the bees and their hives and plans to assist the affiliate in developing bee related educational programs.

Click Here for more on the awards and for photos.

For more information on programs, initiatives and special events, visit the Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful website. Click Here to become a member.  Click Here to sign up for regular updates from KPB, Like them on Facebook, Follow on Twitter, Discover them on Pinterest and visit their YouTube Channel.

Also visit the Illegal Dump Free PA website for more ideas on how to clean up communities and keep them clean and KPB’s Electronics Waste website.

Information on the 2022 Pick Up Pennsylvania Initiative will be available soon!  Questions should be directed to Michelle Dunn at 1-877-772-3673 Ext. 113 or send email to: mdunn@keeppabeautiful.org.

Keep PA Beautiful helps mobilize over 100,000 volunteers a year to pick up litter, clean up illegal dumping and beautify Pennsylvania.

(Photo: Ellen Keefe by Triblive.com.)

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[Posted: January 6, 2021]

1/10/2022