Beautification Board gives 16 awards in county

J.R. Tidwell, The News Courier, Athens, Ala.
·2 min read

Aug. 17—Everything is now complete in the annual Athens-Limestone Beautification Board judging process, and 16 businesses and organizations in Limestone County have been honored.

The board falls under the umbrella of Keep Athens-Limestone Beautiful, which works to not only clean up the county but honor those who have worked to create green spaces that they, Athens and the county can take pride in.

"Green space and attractive landscaping are so important to the appearance of our community, and the Beautification Board believes that the people who work so hard to provide that beauty should be rewarded," said KALB Executive Director Leigh Patterson in the group's latest newsletter. "Recognizing well-landscaped properties here in Athens and Limestone County is the Beautification Board's way of saying 'thank you' to those who add a beautiful touch to our community."

Patterson said entities to be judged must be nominated using an online form found on the KALB website. She said 30 properties were judged this year by teams from the board, and 16 scored high enough to receive an award.

The scoring ranges from 1 to 100, and the criteria for judging includes overall design, construction, plantings, maintenance and litter control.

Calhoun Community College's Decatur campus received the highest marks in the county at 99.5. First Presbyterian Church was next with 98.78 points, and Athens Police Department rounded out the top 3 with 98 points awarded.

The other 13 award recipients were Athens Eye Clinic, The Town of Mooresville Bicentennial Garden, Chick-fil-A, Steelcase Inc., Athens Eye Care Center, American Leakless Company, Clayton Homes, Traditions Senior Living, Limestone Health Facility, Athens State University, Athens-Limestone Hospital, First National Bank and Bojangles.

"The Athens-Limestone Beautification Board has been giving these awards for many years," Patterson said. "The board is made up of volunteers that split into groups and cover different areas. We have updated the signs this year to include the board name, because not everyone knows who they are awarded through."

Patterson said winning a beautification award shows an entity cares about the community and setting a good example for others.