October 5, 2005
NC BEAUTIFUL AWARDS THOUSANDS OF AZALEAS TO NC NON-PROFITS

Beautification Projects Across State Get Extra Boost

October 5, 2005, Raleigh, NC – From the mountains to the coast, this fall North Carolina beautification projects will get a face lift; thanks to NC Beautiful, a non-profit that promotes environmental stewardship, education, and research in North Carolina and its program sponsors, WRAL TV-5 and MIX 101.5 WRAL-FM. On Saturday, October 8th representatives from non-profits across the state will gather for the 20th Annual Azalea Celebration.

This year 12,239 azaleas will be awarded to 160 churches, schools, civic clubs, and communities after a three-month application process in which each group presented a landscaping plan complete with long-term care designations. This Saturday, the selected winners will make their way to the WRAL transmitter park off I-40 to receive up to 100 evergreen azaleas.

“We are thrilled to have such a variety of groups taking home azaleas this year,” says Jane Rogers, managing director of NC Beautiful. “North Carolina’s beauty is one of the state’s most fantastic characteristics and we and our sponsors are thankful that these groups have such enthusiasm for environmental stewardship and protection in our state.”

Last year, approximately 166 non-profits statewide received almost 10,500 azaleas.

Some of this year’s winning projects include:
• Albritton Junior High PTSO at Fort Bragg in Cumberland County will receive 100 azaleas to enhance the school while providing students, whose parent(s) are deployed to Iraq, an opportunity to honor their loved ones who serve our country. Using the planting to help prevent soil erosion, students from the Technology Student Association and Student Council and the PTSO will be assisted by the custodial staff to maintain the garden.
• Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church of Louisburg in Franklin County has formed a large team of Preschoolers, Parish youth, Knights of Columbus, and Pastoral, Finance, Liturgy, and Evangelization Committees to develop a habitat, install, and care for its 100 azaleas. The Franklin County Farm Bureau will pre- and post-test for upkeep offering advice on fertilizer and plant care while three nurseries are helping to prepare beds with bush-hogs and roto-tillers. These plants will help the parish contribute to the stewardship of the Louisburg area through enhanced appearance.
• Presbyterian Home for Children of Black Mountain in Buncombe County plans to use its 100 azaleas to highlight the home’s “Fall Work and Play Day” for its kids, ages 8-18. The Home’s Garden Club will be led by a retired horticulturist who will use this hands-on learning project to teach the children about landscaping, mulching, pruning, and protecting the environment for birds and insects. Local nurseries will support the azalea initiative by supplying mulch, fertilizer, and herbicides.
• Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office in Murphy is receiving 100 azaleas for a project that has inmates and law enforcement working together for community good. The plants will enhance the natural surroundings of a law enforcement training facility used not only by office personnel but also families to relax in fun-filled outdoor setting. Whether its fishing, camping, or just taking a hike, people can enjoy the facilities while inmates grow in confidence and take pride in a job well done.

Each year, NC Beautiful and its sponsors WRAL-TV 5 and MIX 101.5 WRAL-FM also recognize those groups who have successfully maintained their azalea projects over a three-year period with the AJ Fletcher Award. Awardees receive up to $500 in cash prizes and additional azaleas for their efforts.

The 2005 AJ Fletcher Award winners are:
FIRST PLACE: $500 and 100 Azaleas
JAMES SPRUNT COMMUNITY COLLEGE of Kenansville in Duplin County received 70 azaleas in October 2002 “to finish an unfinished project.” A retired landscaper stepped up to supervise the installation in one of the most popular garden areas on campus. A strong maintenance effort has kept 66 plants alive and an irrigation system has helped them prosper. The College plans to continue beautification efforts by landscaping the perimeter of the bridge used by visitors for weddings and graduation photos. Sprunt’s azalea garden has prompted other community beautification.

SECOND PLACE: $250 and 50 Azaleas
A.O.K., Inc. - ACTS OF KINDNESS, INC. of Fayetteville in Cumberland County received 100 azaleas in 2002 for use in a beautification project in one of the city’s busiest areas near Fayetteville State University. They used 52 azaleas in a garden highlighting a Wall of Honor mural showing the neighborhood’s history. The remaining plants were installed on a hill adjacent to the wall to help stabilize the hillside and prevent erosion. All in all, this project has brought about huge community pride and responsibility for the local environment while improving the neighborhood’s physical appearance.

THIRD PLACE: $125 and 25 Azaleas
W.G. ENLOE HIGH SCHOOL of Raleigh in Wake County has kept 85 of 100-plant allotment alive through careful planting and diligent maintenance by the Horticulture and Science Clubs along with their faculty supervisor. The students chose an ideal habitat—acidic soil, shady location, and natural mulch. At this point pruning and herbicide applications are very limited allowing the courtyard plantings to grow naturally. The azaleas have been a spectacular enhancement around the pond that was installed several years ago as well as a hindrance to continued soil erosion. This setting is a fantastic outdoor classroom for the entire school.



ABOUT THE AZALEA CELEBRATION
NC Beautiful partners with Raleigh’s WRAL-TV and Mix 101.5-FM to put on the Azalea Celebration. The azaleas are propagated from the WRAL gardens, which is a project started by one of the founders of the station, the late A.J. Fletcher. NC Beautiful and WRAL-TV 5 also give out the A.J. Fletcher Award every year to the top three projects created for past azalea recipients that keep their plants alive and healthy over a three-year period. Awardees receive up to $500 in cash prizes and additional azaleas for their efforts.

ABOUT NC BEAUTIFUL
NC Beautiful is a non-profit organization that protects and improves the beauty of North Carolina’s physical environment through education, research, and environmental stewardship. The 38-year-old organization oversees programs like the Windows of Opportunity Grants, Environmental Studies program, “Keep It Green” program, and the Environmental Action Awards. For more information about NC Beautiful and its environmental education programs, e-mail ncbeautiful@bellsouth.net.