Keep Brownwood Beautiful recently organized a quick photo shoot in downtown Brownwood to celebrate newly-appointed board officers and the addition of a crucial piece of equipment: a brand new wheelbarrow. The photo features four KBB board officers walking across the Center Avenue intersection near Pat Coursey Park. If the composition of the image looks familiar, it’s because the photo is a nod to the Beatles and an inside joke on the name of KBB’s new wheelbarrow.
“The wheelbarrow’s name is Abby,” KBB’s new Coordinator Pilar Roy explains with a chuckle. When Pilar was shopping locally for much-needed equipment, she was helped by a very friendly staff member at Tractor Supply. Ultimately with the staff member’s assistance, Pilar was able to get a very good deal on the wheelbarrow, a true blessing for KBB’s limited budget. Pilar decided the wheelbarrow would be named in honor of the employee who had provided top-notch customer service. With a wheelbarrow named “Abby” and four key board members to introduce, it seemed perfectly natural to Pilar to have their very own Abbey Road photo.
“They’re my Beatles,” Pilar laughs. Infusing humor, music references, and naming equipment (Pilar’s truck “Jimmy Floyd” is a well known volunteer at KBB clean ups), showcase Pilar’s creativity and her positive attitude in the face of difficulties.
Prior to joining KBB, she spent the last decade caring for her mother’s medical needs at home. When her mother passed away, Pilar needed a change. She was ready to enter the workforce again but was worried her resume would be a little light on experience. She reached out to the local Christian Women’s Job Corp for a semester and realized quickly her resume needed a more up to date work history. With their consultation and mentoring, Pilar decided to join a few local groups in order to improve some skill sets and list volunteer experience.
“I saw on Facebook that KBB needed board members,” Pilar said. “I went to a meeting in September 2020 and was invited to join the board.”
Shortly after Pilar joined the board, then-Coordinator Cary Perrin submitted her resignation for health reasons. At the same meeting, longtime volunteer and board member Freda Day also announced the end of her service to focus on her family’s needs. Freda nominated Pilar for Coordinator and she was voted into the position in October 2020, just a month after joining the organization. Pilar was quickly paired with a mentor from the Keep Texas Beautiful organization. She also familiarized herself with KBB’s bylaws and began researching best practices for nonprofits.
“I was excited and scared at the same time. It was all new stuff,” Pilar said. “I had been an artist since I was young, and then had spent a long time caring for my mother and now I’m ready to face new things.”
Her artistic nature is drawn to the creation element of her new job. She’s also a highly organized person, drawn to maps and systems in particular. Those personality traits pair perfectly for her as she plans new flower bed layouts around Brownwood.
“I like to bring order to chaos,” Pilar explained “I love to keep things tidy and neat and my work with KBB allows me to make Brownwood more beautiful.”
Along with learning new skills, Pilar is learning more about what KBB needs in order to serve the community. Specifically, KBB needs more equipment and volunteers.
“I want to create opportunities for our citizens to feel like they made a difference and for them to feel good saying, ‘this is my town,’ because Brownwood is my home,” Pilar said.
In the past the focus for KBB has been on recycling and litter clean ups. The new KBB board and Coordinator would like to expand the focus to engage the community and include more beautification programs. KBB would like to offer assistance in the future to Brownwood’s elderly or disabled residents with overgrown yards. Recently KBB helped a local disabled veteran clear his sidewalk of debris and overgrowth so he could maneuver more easily on a motorized scooter.
“Volunteering offers a great sense of accomplishment, creating a clean environment not just for ourselves but for our neighbors. We get to help people who are struggling with some overgrowth and yard issues on occasion. We get to educate the community about being more responsible with our trash. It’s a great way to come together for all the neighborhoods, not just ‘oh this is the nice neighborhoods’ but all the neighborhoods,” Pilar said.
To continue the good work, KBB needs to add ladders, a lawn mower, trimmers, clippers, a leaf blower, and other essential equipment items. The community is encouraged to reach out to KBB to help fill these needs. If you have gently-used lawn care equipment to donate, or if you’d like to buy something new for the organization, you can call or text 325-641-0533, or reach out to KBB on their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/KeepBrownwoodBeautifulTX.
KBB is also on the lookout for volunteers to spend a few hours a month keeping Brownwood beautiful with a truly fun-loving and community-minded group. If you are interested in volunteering, visit their Facebook page or website: www.kbbtx.org to learn more.
Funding is also needed, and individuals, businesses, and organizations are encouraged to donate through PayPal on their website. Brownwood residents can also support KBB with a dollar donation added to their water bill.