Addison-based Mary Kay, Inc., is a recipient of a 2010 National Arbor Day Award, the Arbor Day Foundation has announced. Mary Kay earned the Rachel Carson Award in honor of the company’s dedication to teaching young children the importance of nature.
Mary Kay headquarters in Addison
A year ago, Mary Kay developed a strategy to merge its support of victims of domestic violence with its commitment to environmental sustainability. The company helped children of domestic violence connect with nature by building Nature Explore Outdoor Classrooms at shelters for victims across the U.S. So far, Mary Kay has opened classrooms in Chicago, Atlanta and Hackensack, N.J., and two more will be built in 2010 in Dallas and Los Angeles. These classrooms provide an opportunity for children to explore the natural world in a peaceful environment.
Every year since 1972, the Arbor Day Foundation has paid tribute to exemplary tree planters and environmental stewards with a National Arbor Day Award. The 38th annual Arbor Day Awards will be given to individuals and groups who are making a positive impact on the world through tree-planting or nature education initiatives. In all, the Foundation will honor 17 individuals or organizations at its annual awards banquet on Saturday, May 1.
“The winners honored this year are doing their part to inspire the next generation of tree planters and conservationists across the United States,” said John Rosenow, chief executive and founder of the Arbor Day Foundation. “The work done with their hands and with their hearts will have a significant impact on the world today and for years to come.”
The Arbor Day Foundation is a nonprofit education and conservation organization of more than one million members, with a mission to inspire people to plant, nurture and celebrate trees. More information on the Foundation and its programs can be found at arborday.org.
Past winners of Arbor Day Awards include Wangari Maathai, who also won a Nobel Peace Prize; Chicago Mayor Richard Daley; Stewart Udall, former U.S. Secretary of the Interior; veteran journalist Bill Kurtis; Enterprise Rent-A-Car; and the Walt Disney Company.
Tags: Arbor Day Foundation, Mary Kay, National Arbor Day Award, Nature Explore Outdoor Classrooms
