Smith Honors Punxsutawney Garden Club with Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful’s Community Pride Award

July 5, 2025

PUNXSUTAWNEY – State Rep. Brian Smith (R-Jefferson/Indiana) honored the Punxsutawney Garden Club (PGC) with the Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Community Pride Award for its unwavering dedication to making Punxsutawney a cleaner, greener and more welcoming place to live and visit.

The PGC, a dedicated group of 38 local gardening enthusiasts, continues its mission of enhancing the beauty and greenery of Punxsutawney through year-round beautification projects and community engagement.

For 92 years, the PGC has worked tirelessly to maintain and improve public spaces throughout the town. Their efforts include seasonal cleanups, planting initiatives and the installation and upkeep of flower beds, benches and greenery in key locations such as Barclay Square and other welcoming areas. The club is also known for its creative seasonal hayrack ornament displays and its ongoing recognition of residents through the “Gardens of the Month” program.

In addition to their hands-on work, the Garden Club is deeply committed to environmental stewardship and community service. They organize fundraisers and outreach activities that foster civic pride and encourage residents to take part in keeping Punxsutawney beautiful.

The 2025 officers of the Punxsutawney Garden Club are:

• President – Sharon Murray.
• Vice President – Kerri Stebbins.
• Treasurer – Debby Elder.
• Secretary – Kim Lininger.
• Corresponding Secretary – Donna Grabany.

The executive board includes the officers listed above, as well as Charlene Skarbek, Barb Certo, Dotty Jekielek and Judy Hampton.

“Members of the Punxsutawney Garden Club don’t put all the time and effort in to keeping Punxsutawney beautiful for money or recognition,” Smith said. “They do it because each of them cares deeply for our community. It’s hard to think of any group in Pennsylvania more deserving of a Community Pride Award. Our town is lucky to have you!”

“Community beautification is more than planting flowers; it’s about planting pride. Organizations like the Punxsutawney Garden Club embody the spirit of Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful by transforming public spaces and inspiring residents to take ownership of their environment. Their dedication makes Punxsutawney not only more beautiful, but more connected,” said Shannon Reiter, executive director of Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful.

The Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Community Pride Award recognizes outstanding environmental stewardship by an individual, school, community organization or civic group that makes an outstanding commitment to litter control, recycling, or general environmental stewardship. The Community Pride Award is available to elected officials to recognize those in the community working to change behaviors at the local level. Elected officials interested in nominating a constituent for a Community Pride Award should visit keeppabeautiful.org and choose grants and awards, then awards, then Community Pride Award for more information. The awards are open on a rolling basis.

About Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful
Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful’s vision is a clean and beautiful Pennsylvania. Since 1990, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful has worked with hundreds of thousands of volunteers across the state to pick up nearly 162 million pounds of trash from Pennsylvania's roadways, waterways, greenways, vacant lots, forestlands and other community spaces. Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful’s core programming focuses on litter and illegal dump prevention, cleanup, community greening, and proper waste handling and sustainable practices. Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful works with many partnering organizations on the state and grassroots level to accomplish our goal of a clean and beautiful Pennsylvania. Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful is the state affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, Inc., the nation’s largest volunteer-based community action and education organization. To learn more about Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, visit www.keeppabeautiful.org.

Representative Brian Smith
66th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Jake Gillespie
717.772.9834
www.RepSmith.com/  www.Facebook.com/RepBrianSmith