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Three high school seniors are receiving Keep Iowa Beautiful $1,000 scholarships toward their studies at an Iowa college or university. 

OLIVIA ARKFELD, Council Bluffs, Byers Scholarship. Attending University of Iowa, studying environmental engineering. Educator Bob Byers dedication to young people and environmental concerns was a driving force encouraging young people to help improve their communities. 

CLAIRE BRITT, West Union, Fultz Scholarship. Attending University of Iowa, studying marketing/managing.  Bill Fultz was a founding KIB Board member and artist. He started an advertising agency that became the largest agriculture advertising agency in the world. 

AMANDA OGLE, Gravity, Schnepf Scholarship. Attending Iowa State University, studying environmental engineering. Gerry Schnepf, founding Executive Director. His careers spanned 50 years of making Iowa a better place to live, work and raise a family.   

“Keep Iowa Beautiful is proud to award scholarships to graduating high school seniors who have a record of community service and environmental stewardship,” said Andy Frantz, Keep Iowa Beautiful Executive Director, “These seniors have a passion to improve the places where they live and work throughout their lives and careers, and we couldn’t be more excited to see where their education takes them.” 

Since the creation of the scholarship program, Keep Iowa Beautiful has awarded $57,000 to 67 students.  There were 112 applications for this year’s three scholarships.  

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The Keep Iowa Beautiful Board of Directors announced the following award winners for 2023. 

“The Keep Iowa Beautiful award program recognizes exceptional people and organizations that have gone above and beyond to create stronger Iowa communities,” said Andy Frantz, Executive Director of Keep Iowa Beautiful.  “Creating a stronger sense of pride in community improves the economic vitality and cultural climate where we live, work and raise a family.” 

The Keep Iowa Beautiful Corporation Award goes to the FARMERS MUTUAL TELEPHONE COMPANY for leading by example in connectivity, housing and community development in Stanton. 

The Keep Iowa Beautiful Organization Award to the IOWA RURAL DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL for empowering rural communities and resource providers towards collaboration and positive change. 

The Keep Iowa Beautiful Robert D. Ray Award of Excellence to the COMMUNITY OF MANNING  for fostering innovation, leadership, and pride in developing a vibrant community, and the COMMUNITY OF POCAHONTAS for building strong partnerships with community groups and businesses and enhancing Hometown Pride in the community. 

The Keep Iowa Beautiful Donald F. Lamberti Hometown Pride Vision Award selected SCOTT SMITH for his longtime support and service to improving the quality of life in our state making Iowa’s communities better places to live and raise a family. 

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Des Moines, IA – Keep Iowa Beautiful invites Iowans to join the Great American Cleanup and an estimated 3 million volunteers across the nation by removing litter from public areas during Pick-Up Iowa from April 15^th, 2023 through July 31^st, 2023.  

Pick-Up Iowa creates focused efforts to clean up trash along Iowa’s roadsides, neighborhoods, streets, school grounds, parks, forests, and streams. In 2022, Pick Up Iowa volunteers in 36 communities spent over 6,500 hours collecting 2,000 bags of litter and debris.  

New to Pick Up Iowa this year is a reimbursement program. The first 35 communities who sign up will be eligible for a $50 reimbursement for purchases made to aid their pick-up event. Qualifying purchases may include trash bags, gloves, litter grabbers, or food and beverages for volunteers.  

“Keep Iowa Beautiful is continuously impressed by the amount of time and care Iowans give to ensure their communities are able to thrive both physically and economically,” said Andy Frantz, executive director of Keep Iowa Beautiful. “We are thrilled to continue this partnership between Pick-Up Iowa and the Great American Cleanup to help Iowans take action in reducing litter and trash in their towns.” 

Community members or groups are invited to participate. Organizations who often host clean up events include civic associations, schools, church groups, local sports teams, college clubs, groups of families and friends, businesses, Scouts, and others. City municipals are also involved in Pick-Up Iowa.  

Sign-up now at http://bit.ly/40nN0XW. Applications are due April 30^th, 2023. Awarded communities will receive notification on May 5th, 2023. 

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Diamond Vogel and Keep Iowa Beautiful announced the grant awards for the 2023 Paint Iowa Beautiful program.  The program provides free paint to a wide variety of public service projects throughout Iowa. 

 “Diamond Vogel is thrilled to work with many local volunteers that help build communities and enhance their communities’ economic vitality. Passionate volunteers like those engaged in Paint Iowa Beautiful make Iowa a great place to live,” said Doug Vogel, Vice-President, Marketing, of the Iowa-based company.  

“The Paint Iowa Beautiful program gives Keep Iowa Beautiful a unique opportunity to directly help volunteers improve their neighborhoods and communities,” said Andy Frantz, Executive Director of Keep Iowa Beautiful. “These projects not only help beautify the area, but they also have a direct effect on community pride and improve the economic vitality of the communities involved.”  

In the 20-year partnership with Keep Iowa Beautiful, Diamond Vogel has awarded over 13,270 gallons of paint for 1,438 community projects in Iowa. 

In addition to paint projects, join over 30 communities participating in Keep Iowa Beautiful’s Pick Up Iowa annual program by cleaning up litter and trash along Iowa’s roadsides, neighborhoods, streets, school grounds, parks, and streams. Encourage your community mayor, city council or county supervisors to announce several days or a week as PICK-UP YOUR COMMUNITY.  Pick-Up Iowa is being held through July 31^st, 2023 on any dates that work for your community.  To participate you must register your group/organization at https://keepiowabeautiful.org/get-involved/community-outreach-opportunities/pick-up-iowa/. The first 35 communities who sign up will be awarded a $50 reimbursement that can be utilized to purchase supplies for the pick-up event.  

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Keep Iowa Beautiful announced the winners of the 13^th Keep Iowa Beautiful Photography Contest aimed at raising awareness of Iowa’s natural and environmental beauty.  KIB wants to learn what resonates with Iowans based on the photographs they share through this annual photography contest. 

“The annual photo contest gives local photographers a chance to help visually tell Iowa’s story,” said Andy Frantz, Keep Iowa Beautiful Executive Director. “We were thrilled with the quality and competitiveness of this year’s photos. Not only does this contest showcase Iowa’s beauty, it also highlights the wealth of local talent we have across the state.” 

Over 600 photos were entered in five categories that encapsulate the beauty and spirit of Iowa. Winners of 1^st, 2^nd & 3^rd places won $100, $75 and $50 respectively in each category.

The winners in the five categories are: 

Iowa Landscape 

1^st Place: “Early Morning Fog”, Drue Powers of Red Oak 

2^nd Place: “Frosty Farmstead”, Brian Gibbs of Elkader 

3^rd Place: “Farms and rolling hills of Western Iowa”, Todd Cogdill of Ankeny 

Honorable Mention: “A Rural Farmland Sunrise”, Arthur Davis of Bay Minette 

Iowa Water  

1^st Place: “Malanaphy Springs”, Dave Austin of Ankeny 

2^nd Place: “Sunrise Through the Trees”, William Beardsley of Estherville 

3^rd Place: “Cedar River”, Mark Gromko of Iowa City 

Honorable Mention: “River Rally Refection”, Scott Hoag of De Witt 

Iowa Cities 

1^st Place: “Elkader Iowa at Sunrise From Lovers Leap Park”, Brian Gibbs of Elkader 

2^nd Place: “City of Dubuque in fall from Mississippi River Dock”, Janet Abrahamson of Centerville 

3^rd Place: “Shattering Silence and the beautiful Des Moines skyline”, Adam McHenry of Windsor Heights 

Honorable Mention: “Iowa State Capitol”, Steve Dunn of Des Moines 

Iowans in Action 

1^st Place: “Solo Harvest”, Anji Bennett of Lake View 

2^nd Place: “Fishermen at Dusk”, William Beardsley of Estherville 

3^rd Place: “Old Glory at Sunrise on Ragbrai”, Brian Gibbs of Elkader 

Honorable Mention: “Color the Wind Kite Festival”, Mark Iwig of Johnston 

Iowa Wildlife 

1^st Place: “The Squad”, Jesse Streinz of West Branch 

2^nd Place: “Young Buck in the Sunset”, Benjamin Neff of Beaman 

3^rd Place: “Bison”, Silas Hanneman of Altoona 

Honorable Mention: “Canvasback Eruption”, William Beardsley of Estherville 

Additionally, Keep Iowa Beautiful is proud to announce the winners of the Robert D. Ray Best of Show contest and the Social Media Favorite award.  
 

The Robert D. Ray Best of Show winners: 

First Place: “The Squad”, Jesse Streinz of Iowa City 

Second Place: “Early Morning Fog”, Drue Powers of Red Oak 

Third Place: “Elkader Iowa at Sunrise From Lovers Leap Park”, Brian Gibbs of Elkader 

Social Media Favorite winner: 

“Elkader Iowa at Sunrise From Lovers Leap Park”, Brian Gibbs of Elkader 

All winning photos can be accessed on our website at https://keepiowabeautiful.org/photography-contest/winners/