Since 2007, Keep Argyle Beautiful (KAB), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, has continued to make strides within its organization and the community to make our hometown a beautiful place to live. Kathy Salisbury, chairperson of KAB, defines their mission as “A way to encourage people in the area to be mindful of reduce, reuse, recycle and present opportunities for students and adults to remove litter and begin sowing new plants.” Since the organization’s inception, KAB has experienced overwhelming success and major financial funding. KAB obtained this support by creating partnerships with the Argyle Chamber of Commerce, Argyle ISD, Denton County Master Gardeners, and many others. This support allowed KAB to start off strong by creating initiatives such as the Tree Pledge, which was a mission to plant 1,010 trees by the year 2010, as well as KAB Pride Day in conjunction with TX Trash Off and Great American Cleanup.
At the beginning of KAB, there was success, but also lots of room for improvement. Salisbury was able to come in and really move that needle in order to make the organization great. KAB is affiliated with Keep Texas Beautiful and has successfully raised its ranking to a gold star affiliate. For many years, Keep Texas Beautiful ranked KAB “in good standing,” which is not what the organization wanted. Without a higher ranking, this affected the organization's opportunities to win grants and receive the funding that allows it to give back to the town of Argyle.
Salisbury continued to maintain KAB’s gold star affiliate standing for the last six years, which has positively impacted their funding. KAB is doing so well as an organization that larger communities have reached out to discuss ideas and ask questions about KAB and the town we love. Because of the growing success of KAB, in 2015, they applied for a grant, and the State of Texas awarded them one. In 2024, they applied a second time and once again won the award. KAB will use this grant for a future roadway beautification project, which will include new medians, plant native plants or trees, and also involve irrigation and hardscape. This is just one project KAB is waiting to bring to life.
Salisbury’s organizational skills and can-do attitude contribute to the success of the nonprofit as well as her personal connection to the cause. She loves being outside and has a deep passion for nature and taking care of our beautiful Earth, and says she would “describe herself as very granola,” and that is what makes her perfect for this job. As the chairperson, she wears many hats.
“I schedule meetings and write the agendas ahead of time. I am also the working secretary and am truly a ‘jack-of-all-trades’ as I am juggling meetings, answering emails, overseeing projects, creating social media posts and flyers, as well as coordinating and working with the town of Argyle,” says Salisbury.
Along with her many duties as chairperson, one of her biggest responsibilities is brainstorming and planning initiatives. One way she gets the ball rolling is through community meetings hosted at Fire Station 511 in Argyle. Community meetings are a great way for the townspeople of Argyle to voice ideas and concerns they have, although Salisbury and those she works with bring on a majority of the initiatives. When it comes to creating projects, she says what really gets everything started is “just noticing and caring enough.” This sentiment is for those already working with KAB, as well as those who live in the area.
KAB has created many initiatives to be proud of. One initiative Salisbury spoke about was the Bicycle Recycle program started in 2014. Those working with KAB realized how many bikes people were tossing in the trash. Whether from children outgrowing them, the bikes breaking, or people just not wanting them anymore, they realized there had to be a better way to dispose of the unused bikes they were finding. This sparked the idea for the Bicycle Recycle program, where KAB took unwanted bikes and gave them to community members in the area needing transportation. The bikes that were not in good condition were still recycled and used for parts. Another way KAB brings beauty to our community is with its annual Christmas Tree Lighting Festival. The tree stays up until January for the community to enjoy and volunteers pack it up for the next year to be enjoyed again and again.
If you are interested in participating in upcoming initiatives, a few being held this spring are the Annual Bulb Fundraiser and the Annual Iris Show. When you buy a bulb, KAB will ship it directly to you, and guarantee the bulb will grow, or you will get a refund on the purchase. There will also be an Annual Iris Show taking place in April for those interested in the beautiful native flower. This spring, KAB will also be hosting the Great American Cleanup, as well as the Spring Break cleanup in the park. No matter what you choose to participate in or educate yourself on, KAB is grateful for everyone within the community.
“Thank you to our sponsors, partners, and residents who give donations and volunteer hours. Without y’all, Keep Argyle Beautiful wouldn’t be anything,” expresses Salisbury.
Whether it is through volunteering, applying for one of the many positions open at KAB (Fundraising Coordinator, Social Media Coordinator, Recycle Coordinator, etc.), or participating in initiatives like the Bed Check Program to make sure you aren’t unknowingly littering, there is much you can do! For more information on upcoming initiatives or to volunteer, you can find KAB on social media @keepargylebeautiful and visit their websitehttps://www.keepargylebeautiful.com/.
No matter what you choose to participate in or educate yourself on, KAB is grateful for everyone within the community.
Salisbury defines their mission as “A way to encourage people in the area to be mindful of reduce, reuse, recycle and present opportunities for students and adults to remove litter and begin sowing new plants.”