05/15/2026
CORINTH, TEXAS - Keep Texas Beautiful (KTB), a statewide nonprofit that inspires and empowers Texans to improve their communities, has recognized Keep Corinth Beautiful as a Gold Star Affiliate—its highest honor for local partners.
Gold Star status is awarded to affiliates that stand out as essential leaders in their communities, driving measurable impact through sustained programs, strong partnerships, and meaningful volunteer engagement.
"Our affiliates bring our mission to life every day. We are proud to recognize those who are leading the way as Gold Star Affiliates,” said Sara Walters, Executive Director of Keep Texas Beautiful. “These communities exemplify excellence in community leadership by mobilizing volunteers, advancing meaningful projects, and fostering a culture of care and pride in their communities."
Across the state, communities like Corinth make this work possible. In 2025, KTB affiliates engaged over 100,000 Texans who contributed to over $4 million value of volunteer hours based on the Independent Sector value of volunteer hours. Keep Corinth Beautiful played a key role in this effort, implementing programs that reduce litter, promote recycling, and enhance the local environment.
Keep Corinth Beautiful continues to expand community awareness and engagement around environmental stewardship through impactful programs, events, and partnerships. Signature efforts such as the annual Corinth Recycles and Trash-Off and the establishment of an annual Texas Arbor Day celebration have become cornerstone initiatives, drawing strong community participation and support.
This year, the organization gained significant momentum through key projects, including the restoration of the Corinth Nature Preserve—highlighting improvements to the Sand Prairie Hill—and ongoing enhancements to the Butterfly Garden, which serves as a vital habitat for butterflies and other pollinators. The addition of artistic elements, including a butterfly trellis and recycled, hand-painted benches created in collaboration with the University of North Texas, has further transformed the space into both a conservation hub and a welcoming destination for residents.
In addition, the Bags to Benches initiative exceeded expectations, surpassing its goal by diverting more than 1,000 pounds of plastic film from landfills—demonstrating the power of community-driven sustainability efforts.
“We are very proud of all the hard work the Keep Corinth Beautiful Board and volunteers have put in this year. We are especially excited to see the benefit to the community in the expanded programs and educational opportunities hosted by KCB.” Caroline Seward, Director of Parks and Recreation.
Gold Star Affiliates represent the highest standard of community leadership within the Keep Texas Beautiful network. To earn this recognition, affiliates must go beyond core requirements—expanding their programming, investing in training, documenting their impact, and building strong local partnerships. The designation reflects a level of effort and commitment that sets these communities apart as leaders in creating lasting, visible change.
KTB honored all 2026 Gold Star Affiliates during the Keep Texas Beautiful Virtual Conference on May 12 - 14, 2026.
