(Des Moines, Iowa) – The Keep Iowa Beautiful (KIB) Board of Directors has announced Farmers Mutual Telephone Company in Stanton and the Community of Manning were among the winners of the 2023 “Keep Iowa Beautiful Award.” KIB Executive Director Andy Frantz says “The Keep Iowa Beautiful award program recognizes exceptional people and organizations that have gone above and beyond to create stronger Iowa communities. Creating a stronger sense of pride in community improves the economic vitality and cultural climate where we live, work and raise a family.”

The Corporation Award was presented to FARMERS MUTUAL TELEPHONE COMPANY, for leading by example in connectivity, housing and community development in Stanton.

The Keep Iowa Beautiful Organization Award goes to the IOWA RURAL DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL, for empowering rural communities and resource providers towards collaboration and positive change.

The Keep Iowa Beautiful Robert D. Ray Award of Excellence was won by the COMMUNITY OF MANNING, for fostering innovation, leadership, and pride in developing a vibrant community, and the COMMUNITY OF POCAHONTAS for building strong partnerships with community groups and businesses and enhancing Hometown Pride in the community.

The Keep Iowa Beautiful Donald F. Lamberti Hometown Pride Vision Award selected SCOTT SMITH for his longtime support and service to improving the quality of life in our state making Iowa’s communities better places to live and raise a family.

(Des Moines, Iowa) – Three high school seniors are receiving Keep Iowa Beautiful $1,000 scholarships toward their studies at an Iowa college or university.

OLIVIA ARKFELD, of Council Bluffs, was awarded the Byers Scholarship. She will be attending University of Iowa, studying environmental engineering. Educator Bob Byers dedication to young people and environmental concerns was a driving force encouraging young people to help improve their communities.

Olivia Arkfeld

CLAIRE BRITT, of West Union, was awarded the Fultz Scholarship. She will be attending University of Iowa, studying marketing/managing.  Bill Fultz was a founding KIB Board member and artist. He started an advertising agency that became the largest agriculture advertising agency in the world.

AMANDA OGLE, of Gravity, was awarded a Schnepf Scholarship. She plan on attending Iowa State University, studying environmental engineering. Gerry Schnepf, founding Executive Director. His careers spanned 50 years of making Iowa a better place to live, work and raise a family.

“Keep Iowa Beautiful is proud to award scholarships to graduating high school seniors who have a

Claire Britt

record of community service and environmental stewardship,” said Andy Frantz, Keep Iowa Beautiful Executive Director, “These seniors have a passion to improve the places where they live and work throughout their lives and careers, and we couldn’t be more excited to see where their education takes them.”

Since the creation of the scholarship program, Keep Iowa Beautiful has awarded $57,000 to 67 students.  There were 112 applications for this year’s three scholarships.

Amanda Ogle