A few words from our Chairperson…June Van Steyn

I joined Keep North Charleston Beautiful in April 2006. Someone I know from my work with the local gardens clubs had recommended that Carmen Hanlon (KNCB Executive Director) invite me to join KNCB. As I am involved in several other volunteer organizations; I am limited in the new ones I can join. I agreed to come out to an event, which happened to be a part of the Clean Cities Sweep. It was the annual Girl Scout beautification activity. When I arrived at the event I was overwhelmed to see 100 Girl Scouts planting flowers, putting pine straw in flowerbeds, and removing debris from around the park. This was a wonderful site as I know the importance of educating our young people to care about our community. I decided right then that this was a group I was going to join. I rolled up my sleeves (literally) as I started working with KNCB that day.

This year I was given the opportunity to serve as the chairperson for this wonderful group of volunteers. It has been an exciting, fulfilling and (yes) a challenging year.

It was very rewarding to see our first Flowerscape planting installed at Ashley Phosphate and Rivers Avenue on February 14, 2007. PalmettoPride awarded us the funding to plant the Flowerscape which consisted of 50 red roses. Soon after the initial planting Wal*Mart Supercenter Store #1359 and Greenscape Lawn Service adopted the section and have agreed to do the landscape maintenance necessary to keep the Flowerscape beautiful.

With this Flowerscape project complete we immediately started planning our next Flowerscape project. We hope to install our second Flowerscape project (a Daylilly bed) at Quarterman Lake this fall. Along with these plantings we have assisted in getting sponsors (through the Prideways Program) to keep I-26 and 526 clean, we have actively invited groups to participate in the Adopt a Highway Program, we assisted in the coordination of the Clean Cities Sweep Program, we have conducted community outreach presentations, we have completed 5 beautification events so far this year, and we have worked on projects to improve the image of North Charleston. So far this year KNCB volunteers have picked up a total of 94 bags of litter and debris and planted 105 flowers, shrubs, and/or trees. As you can see we are very busy and are always looking for wonderful new volunteers to roll up their sleeves and join us!

I would like to end by sharing a little of my background with you. I grew up in North Charleston and graduated from North Charleston High School in 1958. I finished Rice Business College in North Charleston in 1961. As my roots and heart will always be in North Charleston it gives me great pleasure to be able to actively improve the quality of life for my children and grandchildren.

I have been given the opportunity to make this type of difference and I am going to give it my all. I would like to invite YOU to roll up your sleeves TODAY and join me in giving back to North Charleston.