1985 - 2006

2007

In a master plan survey conducted by the City of Tybee in 1985, residents ranked beach erosion control and beautification of the island as top priorities. As a result of this survey, the Tybee Beautification Committee (TBA) was established in 1986. Over the years, the organization has evolved into an association and continues to play a critical role on the island.

Since its earliest days, the Beautification Association has strived to preserve and enhance the beauty of our island. We subscribe to the Disneyland Philosophy if an area is clean and attractive, people are less likely to litter. With that in mind, we have implemented many beautification projects over the last eighteen years. In addition to installing a beautiful sign at the entrance of our city to welcome residents and visitors, we have planted crepe myrtles in the median of Hwy. 80 and yaupon holly and wax myrtle trees down Butler Avenue. We have improved Jaycee Park by building a gazebo, installing the original playground equipment, planting a memorial garden, and putting up bluebird houses. We continue to sponsor the holiday decorating contest, maintain the landscaping around the pier and pavilion, and coordinate the Yard-of-the-Month program

A major component of our beautification efforts is directed at reducing litter. Our organization has sponsored cleanups for over a decade. We organize and participate in two Beach Sweeps and four Adopt-A-Highway cleanups each year. We sponsored a l litter awareness campaign years ago; however, the litter problems continued.

In 2003 we launched a major litter awareness campaign.  The first step was to plan a public awareness campaign. Chris DiSilvestro and Michael Sullivan of Lamar Advertising agreed to donate the art work and three billboard spaces for our “Some Butts Don't Belong on the Beach” campaign. Funding for the billboard vinyl was secured from the City of Tybee, International Paper, and our organization. We held a press conference at the unveiling of our first sign with all local media providing excellent coverage. Our billboards are still on display and are rotated periodically to new locations around the county.

Our next step was to launch a website. Lisa Scarbrough Sinclair, a web designer and the daughter of members, Mike and Iris Scarbrough, designed and launched our site.

Additional public awareness activities included issuing regular public service announcements to local T.V., radio, and print media, posting small signs in the windows of area businesses alerting people to new litter l laws, ordering bumper stickers, promoting our cleanups, and preparing a float for the Beach Bum parade.

We then focused on enforcement. At our urging, the Tybee City Council amended the litter ordinance to include cigarette butts and to require people to secure their trash on the beach. The police began to issue tickets during the summer of 2003. TBA continues to encourage the Tybee Police to use stricter enforcement each season.

Recognizing that smokers need a place to discard their cigarette filters, we worked to provide an alternative to littering. After ordering free disposable ashtrays from the R.J. Reynolds Company, we made dispensers and placed them in area hotels, restaurants, and stores. These dispensers proved to be very popular and we stayed busy refilling them all that summer. Also in 2003. we joined forces with the Tybrisa Village Merchants to clean up and beautify the island's business district. This continues to be a multi-year project as we work with the merchants and the city planners to generate and implement short and long term goals.

The restoration of the cemetery in Memorial Park was the major project tackled by TBA in 2004. The cemetery committee, chaired by Bernie Goode, raised over $38,762.27. These funds were used to erect a beautiful wrought iron fence, restore headstones, scan for graves, and landscape.

In our continued efforts to reduce litter, TBA held a litter forum called “Let's Talk Trash” in May of 2004. A synopsis of the suggestions and concerns generated during the forum were presented to Mayor, members of council, and city administrators. TBA also sponsored two Beach  Sweeps and four Adopt-A-Highway cleanups during the year.

Thanks to the generosity of Lamar Advertising, the Some Butts Don't Belong on the Beach bill-boards continued to be displayed throughout the county. Due to the slogan's popularity, we ordered tee shirts and beach bags to sell at the Tybee Island Marine Science Center. With the disposable ashtrays no longer available, TBA ordered Butt Buckets to help reduce cigarette pollution.

Working collaboratively with the Department of Public Works, TBA members worked diligently to beautify Tybrisa Street. By March of 2004, the street was adorned with additional flower beds, new trash receptacles, a dozen new palm trees, and beautiful jasmine, lantana, ruella, plumbago, and cigar plants.

Our planting efforts in 2004 weren't limited to Tybrisa; TBA continued to plant around the city hall sign and the Tybee entrance sign. We also planted pansies, snap dragons, kale, cigar plants, fire spike, cassia, and poppies in front of the Community House in November.

Due to the success of our blue bird houses, we added an additional house and embarked on a habitat restoration project. To attract painted buntings, we planted thirty wax myrtles and various indigenous and naturalized plants in Jaycee Park. We also partnered with SEPCO, Eddie Crone, and various residents to install two osprey platforms.

In addition to our regular fundraisers, Tybee Beautification participated in two new and very successful events in 2004. The first, a Low Country Boil, was sponsored by City Councilman Eddie Crone. Eddie donated the food and organized the cooks. In July, the first Tybee Prom brought out Island supporters to dress up and dance to the music of The Girlfriends and Chicago Bob. Organized by Sandy McCloud, the event proved to be a huge hit.

Litter reduction efforts continued in 2005 with bi-annual Beach Sweeps drawing over 300 volunteers and 60 paid sponsors and TBA members working four Adopt-a-Highway cleanups. Another litter awareness forum was held at City Hall in March. The Memorial Park Cemetery restoration project, begun in 2003, was completed with a dedication ceremony in April. Department of Public Works and Water and Sewer Department employees were appreciated at a luncheon provided by TBA in May. We sponsored 84 radio spots in August and September to promote clean waterways, beaches, and streets.

Throughout the year, TBA planted flowers, shrubs, and trees all over the island. On-going areas of TBA responsibility include the Tybee entrance sign, the City Hall sign, the Tybee Fire station sign, the Community House, the Pavilion entrance, the Sally Pearce Nature Trail entrance, and the memorial garden in Jaycee Park. In addition, TBA also did plantings or designs for the Youmans-Solomon gym complex, the Memorial Park cemetery and other areas in the park, as well as planting 700 daffodils all over the island.

Our Yard of the Month project continued to recognize residential and non-residential property owners for beautification, restoration, or cleanup efforts with Certificates of Achievement and recognition in local newspapers. Christmas Decoration contest winners were awarded beautiful poinsettias.

Our annual Easter lily and Christmas poinsettia sales helped raise funds for this year's activities. We also co-sponsored the 2nd annual Tybee Prom fundraiser in June, and island supporters came out in force to dance to the music of The Girlfriends and Bari Marshall.

Due to the restoration of the Community House, meetings in 2007 have been held at the Old Tybee School on 5th Street in Room 6 at 7 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month. Members of Tybee Beautification Association look forward to 2008 as the work to improve the quality of life for all of the citizens and visitors of Tybee Island continues!