By Ted AYALA

Glendale has long been known as the “Jewel City,” but that nickname may have to make way for a new one: “The Green City.”

Presented to the City Council last Tuesday night were a series of awards from Keep America Beautiful (KAB). In existence for nearly 60 years, KAB has made it its mission to ensure that Americans are mindful of  their trash by bringing awareness to the blight caused by litter and by inspiring a sense of civic participation through volunteering in the cleaning and upkeep of public spaces.

The city has spearheaded the task of beautification by way of its Neighborhood Services Department, which has served as a liaison for the Committee for a Clean and Beautiful Glendale (CCBG) to the KAB. CCBG was created in 2003.

“Glendale has been a model city for our affiliates,” said Cecile Carson, representative for Keep America Beautiful. “The residents of Glendale have set a standard for themselves and said, ‘This is who we are.’ You really are a shining example.”

Also on hand to commend the city was Leonard Robinson of Keep California Beautiful (KCB) who lavished high praise on the city’s work in maintaining tidy public areas.

“This city has been the key city in the state,” said Robinson. “This has put [the city] into the level of a national leader in the beautification program. Glendale shows that different departments communicate and better collaborate program development and implementation to better leverage diminishing resources. In tough times like these, you have to do so much with so little. [Glendale] has been the star of the crown in KAB.”

The awards presented, the President’s Circle Award, 1st Place Beautification for Non-Profit or Civic Cleaning, and First Place in Creativity in Media were presented to members of the Glendale Kiwanis, as well as Councilmembers Dave Weaver, Frank Quintero, and Mayor Laura Friedman.

As she stood at the council dais, Mayor Friedman thanked KAB and KCB for their awards.

“I want to thank you on behalf of all the many staffers and many volunteers throughout the city who really make these programs work,” said Friedman. “We have so many dedicated volunteers and they, more than anybody, do keep Glendale beautiful.”

After bestowing the awards, Leonard Robinson patted the city’s back further mentioning how Glendale “cleaned up” in the local awards nominations.

“You’ve got bragging rights for all your peers up and down California that,” he said. “Keep up the good work.”

  Ted Ayala