The City of Troy has long taken pride in its public grounds and spaces. Grass-roots beautification efforts, anti-litter campaigns, and a full-time grounds department are part of that effort.

This week, however, city officials took another important step towards improving the quality of life right here at home by joining the Keep America Beautiful network.

The national organization is a network of community-based affiliates that mobilizes more than 4 million volunteers each year to take positive action on environmental concerns. From picking up litter along roadways and in public areas to planting trees and flowers to promoting recycling efforts, Keep America Beautiful volunteers have a proven history of success.

Now, the City of Troy is partnering with the new Keep Troy Beautiful Inc., a non-profit organization, to increase recycling, eradicate litter, beautify the city and promote community greening.

“Troy is a wonderful place to live,” said Melissa Sanders, president of Keep Troy Beautiful. “One of our goals as a KAB affiliate is to make it an extraordinary community that shines above the rest.”

Shining about the rest is an admirable goal.

And we’re encouraged the the city, committed volunteers and business and civic leaders are getting behind this new effort to Keep Troy Beautiful.

We’re proud of our hometown and know that anything we can do to improve it – from creating more public greenspaces to cleaning up roadways – will benefit us all.