Keep Genesee County Beautiful

01/06/2023

Happy Feature Friday! The first feature of the new year is Bundy Park, located off East Bundy Avenue. It is near Ophelia Bonner Park, Martin Park, and the Gracelawn Cemetery. The space is 1 acre large and has pretty recently undergone playground renovations! This is a nice space to let the kids play or have a little picnic under the trees! 🌳🧺

Park Adopter Kathryne Clarke shared a few words with us about her experience being a park adopter for roughly the last 5 years!
She says that she really enjoys being a park adopter because it gives her a chance to work with lots of great people and make the park a place her community can enjoy together!
Since becoming a park adopter, she says it is now a park people go to and enjoy!
She says there are some developments going on behind the scenes, but they are not ready to be shared just yet!
So, get out there and enjoy this "super family park," as Kathryn calls it!
Since we don't know much about the history of this park, please feel free to share anything you know in the comments!

01/05/2023

"Hello friends, I am Lief, Keep Genesee County Beautiful's new mascot! I am excited to teach you more about our programs and keep you updated on upcoming events and how you can be involved! You should take a look at our new Instagram for more fun posts and updates! Our handle is the same as our Facebook if you want to search for us... or you can click the link below! I look forward to being your guide!" - Lief 🍃
https://www.instagram.com/keepgeneseecountybeautiful/

12/29/2022

We are looking forward to what the New Year will bring and continuing our work to support our wonderful volunteers. At Keep Genesee County Beautiful, we have been planting some seeds for 2023 that we hope you will enjoy. Follow along on our Instagram, , to see what we’ve got growing.🌱
https://www.instagram.com/keepgeneseecountybeautiful/

Wishing everyone a safe and Happy New Year from all of us at KGCB! See you next year🎉🥳🎊

12/29/2022

Timeline photos

Give your real Christmas tree a second life – don’t throw it away! Many affiliates host tree events, often turning them into mulch. Check locally!

12/23/2022

🌟❄️🎄This holiday season we are so thankful for all of you!

12/22/2022

❄️🌟 Some last-minute reminders for you holiday celebrations! There are always ways to be mindful and sustainable… even if they’re small!
Take a look at Keep America Beautiful’s article for even more ideas!
🎁Instead of using regular wrapping paper, why not try paper bags, newspaper, or any other paper products you can think of! It’s still cute and sustainable, because you can recycle the paper afterward, just remember to remove the tape!
Something that is even more fun and sustainable is using things like scarves, dish towels, tea towels and other little fabrics that can be considered a part of the gift!
🍽️When cooking your holiday meals, try to use real silverware and dishware, rather than plastic and paper products! Even though it is a little more work to wash all the dishes… that gives you an excuse to spend time with your loved ones in the kitchen, all helping out!
Placing a recycling bin next to the trash can at your gatherings is an easy was for everyone to do their part and recycle what they can!

Thinking about ways to keep your more ? We can help with that! http://ow.ly/ecSz50LPaHc

12/22/2022

This is something fun to do with the kids during holiday break... AND you can support local businesses! 🤝❄️💝

The Dinosaur book signing event is happening soon! Join our friends Thursday, December 29th, from 12-2 pm.

12/20/2022

3 weekends left for Christmas at Crossroads festivities in Flint

3 weekends left for Christmas at Crossroads festivities in Flint

Visitors to Christmas at Crossroads Holiday Magic can enjoy the sights and sounds of the...

12/20/2022

Happy Botanical Tuesday!
As the holiday season begins to wrap up... it is time to start considering how to dispose of your Christmas trees. While some of us like to leave our trees up a little longer to stretch the Christmas spirit, some are ready to move on from the season. So, here are some creative ideas to recycle our tree!

A fun way to recycle your tree is putting it outside, to serve as a shelter for small animals! The whole family can make bird seed ornaments to put on the tree and watch the birds come eat them!
You can cut branches off the tree and use them as a cover to lay over your flower beds, where perennials are growing. This helps shield them from frost and gives them an extra layer of protection. These branches can also be cut up and used as a base for a compost pile.
Throughout the season little branches tend to fall off the tree, and you can cut those up and add them to the mulch in your yard!
A very creative way to reuse your tree’s trunk is to place it in your garden as a railing for your flower beds!

If these ideas don’t work for you, there are other ways to dispose of your trees. Be sure to check with your local waste services for more information.
And feel free to add any ideas you have to the comments below! 🎄💝

12/16/2022

Happy Feature Friday! 🛝🛝
This week we are talking about Durant Park, also known as William Durant Park.

This park was gifted to the City of Flint by William Crapo Durant and Josiah Dallas Dort in 1909 and was originally known as Dort-Durant Park. The space had a playground, tennis court, picnic area, croquet courts by 1949.
In 1951 Hamilton Avenue was shifted to allot for additional playground space.
By 1977 they began forming a master plan for major park renovations split into two phases. The first phase included the removal of Avenue A and reconstruction of the parking lot, so the children of Dort Elementary, which was adjacent to the park, could have easy access to the playground. The next year plans for improving the tennis courts and playgrounds were approved and carried out over the next few years until completion in 1985.
In 1998 the park was given $10,000 from the parks millage to install a fitness trail, new playground, softball field, and tennis court.

Over the years this park has been adopted by many different organizations but is currently under the care of Robert Person! He says that he “loves his community and has since childhood” … and this is a “dream come true opportunity” for him! He says there have been many successful summer events, that “have served a big purpose in the community,” since he has adopted the park. Robert would recommend park adopting to others because he feels “it is very important to be active in your community!” 🤝
When we asked him if he had any upcoming plans for the park, he said he would love to start an annual 3 on 3 basketball tournament… so stay tuned!

Thank you to Janet Flint Public Library for providing info for this post!

12/15/2022

Timeline photos

With takeout and delivery food, there's a possibility for increased waste. You may find yourself asking, "Can I recycle this?" Check out these tips to help – and always be sure to check locally! http://ow.ly/KwUu50LPc1E

12/13/2022

Timeline photos

Food scraps and yard together currently make up more than 30 percent of what we throw away and could be instead.

http://ow.ly/cSp050LPf3c

12/08/2022

BB Nolden, part of our KGCB family. We’ll make sure the Berston Playground stays in good shape so the kids have a safe place to play. We’ll miss you a lot. Sending thoughts of love and peace to your family and to everyone whose lives you touched.

The Ruth Mott Foundation was profoundly saddened to learn our community has lost Bryant “BB” Nolden, a champion of Flint, servant leader, true community visionary, and a dear friend. Our thoughts are with all who knew and loved him.

It isn’t an exaggeration to say that Bryant is the reason Flint can still call the storied Berston Field House one of its anchor institutions and major points of pride. For years, he voluntarily ran Berston: mowing the lawn, opening the gym, and acting as facilities director. Later, as executive director and founder of the nonprofit Friends of Berston organization, he led Berston’s resurgence, opening the door for the critical partnerships and fundraising needed to re-envision and reinvigorate Berston into a state of the art, multi-generational community hub. Bryant was a gentle soul and stalwart activist who mobilized community and genuinely connected with folks across political and social boundaries.

Flint is a better community because of the life and work of Bryant Nolden, and he will be deeply missed.

Photo: Bruce Edwards for Flintside

12/06/2022

Check out this opportunity to become a member of the ARPA Community Advisory Committee!

Flint residents who are interested in serving on Flint’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Community Advisory Committee are invited to submit an application for consideration. Applications are due by 5 p.m. EST on Thursday, January 5, 2023.

Learn more and apply to serve: CityofFlint.com/ARPA

ARPA Community Advisory Committee members must be Flint residents, and the committee will be broadly representative of Flint’s geographic area and rich diversity.

The committee will help evaluate ARPA community grant proposals and make award recommendations related to the $18 million available for community grants. The committee’s recommendations will be reviewed by the Mayor and Flint City Council, who will make the final decision on funding awards.

The City encourages Flint residents who have experience in any of the four ARPA program areas to apply. The program areas are: economic development, neighborhood improvement, public health, and public safety/youth development.

For more information, please visit CityofFlint.com/ARPA.

12/06/2022

Happy Botanical Tuesday!
This week we are sharing some tips to keep your Christmas trees fresh for the season! 🎄🎄

🪓You should only buy recently cut trees or ones that you cut down yourself … if they were cut down too long ago, they will have already moved into dormancy and begin dropping needles fast.
If you are cutting the tree down yourself, try to get a clean cut in order to let the trunk absorb more water.

💧Make sure to get a tree stand that is properly sized for your tree and that it has a reservoir that holds at lest a gallon of water.
Keep an eye on the reservoir’s water level and refill with lukewarm water whenever it is down to about 3 inches left.
Leaving a humidifier on near the tree for a few hours a day can extend the trees life and keep the needles fresh for longer, but is not always necessary.

💡When putting lights on your tree make sure to use LED lights. They are extremely low heat compared to regular lights, so they don’t dry out the needles as much and are almost never a fire hazard.
Once the needles start rapidly dropping that means it’s time to dispose of the tree because it becomes a fire hazard at that point. You can put it in your yard and it can serve as a habitat for small creatures during the rest of the winter!

The source for this week's post is TheSpruce.com "How to Keep a Christmas Tree Alive As Long As Possible" visit their website to see more tips & tricks!

12/05/2022

Yay! We love our community champions!

12/01/2022

happy national Christmas lights day

Happy ! 🎄❄️
Here are just a few of the places you and the whole family can visit to see beautiful light displays this December!
⭐Crossroads Village & Huckleberry Railroad - Flint
⭐Longway Planetarium - Flint
⭐Lights on Dover Drive - Grand Blanc
⭐AJ & J's Christmas Light Extravaganza - Davison
⭐For-Mar Nature Preserve & Arboretum - Burton

11/29/2022

Flint's compost collection set to end for the year - Flint Beat

Flint's compost collection set to end for the year - Flint Beat

Flint, MI — According to a City of Flint press release, compost collection will end Dec. 2, 2022 and begin again in April 2023. As a reminder, the release

11/29/2022

Happy Botanical Tuesday! 🎄✨🎀🔔
With the holidays winding up, it is important to know if the plants you bring into your home are safe for your kiddos and your four-legged friends!
Poinsettias, mistletoe, and holly are all very common plants used around the holidays, that can be harmful when ingested. Take a second to read a bit about them!
You can visit the source for this week’s post: Dengarden.com “12 Popular Christmas or Holiday Plants: Poisonous or Safe?” to learn about many more plants that can be toxic if ingested! Stay safe this holiday season friends!💝

11/24/2022

Happy Thanksgiving!🦃🦃🦃
Thank you to everyone in this community for your passion and hard work!

11/23/2022

Do you have any unused/extra building materials, fixtures, tools, or doors you're looking to donate? What about furniture or housewares? If so, our friends at Genesee County Habitat for Humanity ReStore are a great resource for that. Check out the list below for specifics!

You can drop off household items from 9a-4p Tuesday - Saturday or schedule a pickup of 3 or more large household items.

11/22/2022

Timeline photos

The EPA estimates that 75% of the American waste stream is recyclable, but we only about 34% of it. This year, for the , plan ahead for a celebration! http://ow.ly/EWjg50LuvcU

11/22/2022

Happy Botanical Tuesday! As winter quickly approaches it is time to make sure your gardens are ready for the frosty season!
Here are just a few tips on prepping your garden, but you can visit the source to see more details! ❄️❄️❄️
The source for this week's post in TheAlmanac.com: "10 Tips for Preparing Your Garden for Winter"

11/18/2022

Happy Feature Friday! This week we want to highlight the work of our ladies here at KGCB and our lovely volunteer Jared, who all spread new mulch down the steps in Mott Park last week!

11/17/2022

Some good tips to consider, with the holiday coming up next week!

Make a plan for your meal prep scraps and ! The keeps materials, products, and services in circulation for as long as possible by reusing “waste” as a resource. http://ow.ly/mu8350Luuuu

11/15/2022

On America Recycles Day, we celebrate the importance and impact of recycling and how it protects our environment. One easy way to keep our planet clean and healthy is by recycling cigarette litter for free with TerraCycle! When you send in a pound of ci******es to be recycled, $1 will be donated to Keep America Beautiful whose mission is to end littering, improve recycling, and beautify communities. Get started: https://bit.ly/2H2ZCdw

11/15/2022

♻️

11/11/2022

Happy Feature Friday!
This week we are covering the historical Berston Park & Fieldhouse!

🌳This property, which is located on 3300 N Saginaw Street, was originally owned by Flint businessman and property developer Neil Berston. In 1920 the space was gifted to the City of Flint by the family members of Berston. By 1923 the fieldhouse was built and included many amenities.

🛝In 1929 they put in a gymnasium, dance studio, a branch of the Flint Public Library and many other new additions. Several stages for the dance studio were donated by Fenton McCreary that had previously been used at Fenton Hall- Flint’s first playhouse! By 1949 they had a playground, tennis court, baseball diamond, football field, basketball court, an ice rink for wintertime, and even more! Developments continued for many years, bringing in thousands of people per year to participate in events and programs!

🏆1984 was a very important year for Berston, because they installed the African American Sports Hall of Fame! This would serve as a memorial space to acknowledge and appreciate great African American athletes and their victories!
The Berston Field House is historically notable for the professional athletes whom it has produced! These athletes include Justin Thigpen Sr., who played for the Detroit Pistons, and Claressa Shields who is a world-famous female boxer… just to name a couple. They still offer a multitude of programs, and many ways to get active! They have boxing, softball, handball, dancing, workout, yoga and even more types of classes! They also offer a bicycle club and teach computer classes at their success center! So, there are limitless opportunities to get involved with your community, whether you want to play softball, take a yoga class, or ride a bike!

🏋️In 1987 the north gymnasium was transformed into a senior citizen wing! More updates were made over the years, and as of 2010 they were serving meals, and has an array of activities to keep these folks busy!

🧱In 1999 there were plans to close Berston Fieldhouse, but city officials decided to keep it standing due to the cultural significance in the community. They were the first recreational center to allow African American people to enter and be a part of activities.

🤝While the fieldhouse is still standing 99 years later… it is an old building, which means it requires routine upkeep. Sadly, the City of Flint was no longer able to fund and keep the fieldhouse open. Luckily some individuals recognized the positive impact that the fieldhouse had on the community and saw the need to keep it open! So, in 2014 the Friends of Berston non-profit organization was formed. This organization is lead by current executive director Commissioner Bryant Nolden and the board of directors. They are able to keep up this work due to donations from private foundations and individual donors. The board of directors for the Friends of Berston have more developments planned and hope to keep the fieldhouse up and running for the next generations to come!
It is thanks to the Friends of Berston, park adopters, and volunteers for keeping this huge piece of Flint history up and running… without them the fieldhouse would not even be here!
Thank you to Janet from Flint Public Library for information on this park!

To learn more about Berston’s history, programs, activities, and upcoming events… check out their website here: https://berston.org/success-center/