Most local residents consider themselves lucky to live in such a beautiful area. Attractive landscaping is such a basic part of the area that many take it for granted.

The Athens-Limestone Beautification Board works hard to maintain the local charm and beauty that draw people to this area.

“We try to promote the beautification of the city and the county. We do a lot of planting and maintenance,” said Linda Baggett, chairwoman of the Beautification Board.

The organization was established in 1983 through Keep Athens-Limestone Beautiful, which is an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful.

“I just don’t think that people realize how much the Beautification Board does and how much back-breaking work goes into the upkeep,” said Lynne Hart, executive coordinator for KALB.

The Beautification Board is one of three boards branching from KALB.

The 25-member board has four officers: Baggett, president; Betty Ruth, vice-president; Myrna Burgreen, secretary and Peggy Smith, treasurer.

Committees are assigned to maintain and beautify different areas or organize community events. They are: the Dogwood Festival Committee, the Fall Fundraiser Plant Sale Committee, Triangle Maintenance committee, Welcome to Athens Sign Maintenance Committee, Yard of the Week Committee, Cemeteries Committee, Beautification Awards Committee, Highway 31-U.S. 72 Interchange Committee, and the Downtown Beautification Committee.

The triangle at Clinton Avenue and U.S. 72 is one of the most viewed areas by travelers on U.S. 72.

“There are so many people that travel U.S. 72,” Baggett said. “It’s just a beautiful area for people to enjoy passing through Athens and hopefully to feel better about the city.”

Downtown Beautification is one of the newest projects the board has undertaken.

“We have such a lovely courthouse square and downtown area,” said Baggett. “One of our newest projects is adding 22 of the 3-foot large flowerpots and eight benches to the square. We hoped this would bring more people into the downtown area and bring more people to the businesses there.”

The board has two more benches ordered to add to the square. The Downtown Beautification Committee and the County Commission are also responsible for the courthouse square Christmas decorations. New this year are a 20- to 25-foot tall Christmas tree and bows on flowerpots.

The Beautification Board purchased and maintains of the “Welcome to Athens” signs and the areas surrounding them, where they trim and maintain trees and shrubs.

They also maintain the crape myrtles along U.S. 31 and do work at cemeteries such as Roselawn Cemetery, Athens City Cemetery, and Thatch-Mann Cemetery.

Hart said a study released by Keep America Beautiful determined people are less likely to litter when areas are landscaped and attractive. However, she said, it seems it takes only one person to make a mess and then people are more than willing to add to it.

“We do have a litter problem,” Baggett said. “We hope that if they see the beauty, that people will take more pride in their city and community and not litter.”

Hart said littering is disrespectful to the members of the Beautification Board and other volunteers who keep the community so attractive.

“There is probably nothing that makes the volunteers more sad than that,” said Hart.

The Beautification Board welcomes volunteers.

“I just know that when I go to a city that is well-landscaped, it’s a city I want to revisit and live in. I think that the citizens of Athens want that for their city,” said Hart. “Obtaining that takes hard work. The Beautification Board is currently seeking hard-working, dedicated volunteers to join the Beautification Board.”

The board meets at 8:30 a.m. the fourth Wednesday of each month at the Limestone County Water and Sewer Authority on U.S. 72.

“We’re a volunteer group and we are certainly glad to get any good help we can get,” said Baggett.

The board raises money for plants and upkeep through donations and several fund-raisers, such as the fall plant sale, the Dogwood Festival, the Do-Da Parade, the Fashion Show Luncheon and the Womanless Beauty Review.

The majority of their events take place in April. Board members are working to organize an event to take place around the square on the last Saturday in April in association with the Do-Da Parade.

All About Me Boutique will be sponsoring the Fashion Show Luncheon for the Beautification Board in early April.

To sponsor Beautification Board events, donate to the board, volunteer at events, or receive details on how to become a member of the board, contact Baggett or Hart at 233-8728 or e-mail kalb@pclnet.net.