Carolyn Mullis Crayton has been devoted to making an incredible imprint on any community in which she lived. Her volunteer work with Keep America Beautiful spans more than half a century and reached its heights not only in Macon, Georgia but also in this state, nation, and countries throughout the world. When Keep America Beautiful started the Clean Community program, Macon was designated as one of three tests sites because of Carolyn’s knowledge of the program. She was a trailblazer in the organization and founded Keep Macon-Bibb Beautiful. Forty-five years later, it remains a strong and viable affiliate striving to keep this community clean, green, and beautiful. Carolyn inspired and recruited thousands of volunteers, many of them senior citizens, to “improve the quality of life in every community through litter prevention, recycling, and beautification.” She instituted an annual awards luncheon to honor and thank first responders, public works employees, maintenance and solid waste employees, and hundreds of volunteers for their efforts to keep Macon safe and beautiful. She persuaded Governor George Busbee to declare Georgia the first state affiliate of Keep America Beautiful. Georgia is now the largest state affiliate in the country with 78 affiliates reaching 80% of the population. Renowned as the consummate authority on training leaders for the Clean Community concept, she was invited by Lord Parry of Wales and Chairman of Keep Britain Tidy to London to train the directors of that organization.
In 1982, to thank Mr. Fickling for his gift of hundreds of Yoshino cherry trees to Macon, Carolyn planned a weekend celebration to coincide
with his birthday and the blossoming of the trees. This developed into a weeklong International Cherry Blossom Festival, currently in its 42nd year, with its theme of “love, beauty, and international friendship.” Since the Yoshino cherry tree is native to Japan, Carolyn developed deep ties with the country and each year it is honored at the Festival. To demonstrate their deep appreciation to and high esteem for Carolyn, YKK gave funds to build headquarters to house both Keep Macon-Bibb Beautiful and the Cherry Blossom Festival. A prime example of this was her hosting the Clean World Conference as representatives from 27 countries gathered in Macon to share and discuss successful methods of dealing with environmental issues. From the very beginning of their existence, Keep Macon-Bibb Beautiful Commission and the Cherry Blossom Festival were designed to attract and benefit all ages. Approximately, half of the 28 Keep Macon-Bibb Beautiful Commissioners appointed by the city-county government are senior citizens, and a significant number serving on the Cherry Blossom Festival Board are also. As an integral part of an age friendly city, from its beginning Carolyn insisted that the Cherry Blossom Festival be designed to be all inclusive and offer a wide variety of activities occurring during the day time or early evening when seniors seem to prefer to attend. Central City Park (now Carolyn Crayton Park) has a day especially marked as Senior Day with events tailored for them at reduced prices. One of the most popular events of the festival is the Cherry Blossom Senior Queen Pageant where a queen and a princess are chosen to represent the seniors of this community. They are featured guests at all events especially the parade. Former senior queens and princesses comprise one of the most supportive group of volunteers for both organizations. This group, along with others they recruit, are known as the famous Think Pink Committee and assist with many festival activities most notably the annual awards luncheon where they greet, offer assistance to those requiring it, and usher guests to their seats. As a longtime member Georgia Department of Community Affairs, she was instrumental in the procurement of funds to renovate a 1940 housing project citizens project into the beautiful new 76-unit Tindall Senior Towers providing much needed comfortable, safe, and affordable housing for seniors.
Awards and Recognitions
• Lady Bird Johnson Award, KAB
• The Queen Mother’s Award, United Kingdom
Japanese American Appreciation Award, Consul General
- Order of the Rising Sun With Gold and Silver Rays signed by
Emperor Akihito - Woman of Distinction-Middle Georgia Girl Scout Council
• Georgia Festival Director of the Year - Gracious Lady of Georgia
Sylvan Branch Award, Festival of Trees, Kent State University
• Leadership Awards–Keep America Beautiful and Keep Georgia
Beautiful
• “People Who Have Made a Difference in Their Communities” ABC Television
• Emerson Award from National Arbor Day Foundation
Carolyn has four awards named in her honor: two local-Carolyn Crayton Keep Macon-Bibb Beautiful Commission Award and the Carolyn Crayton Cherry Blossom Festival Award; a state award-Keep Georgia Beautiful’s Carolyn Crayton “Woman of the Year”; and a national award-Keep America Beautiful’s Carolyn Crayton Award for an environmental friendly national business.Carolyn recently retired from the National Arbor Day Foundation where she served for 38 years, was Board Chai’Jand te’cipie t–of the Emerson Award.
In addition to the awards previously mentioned, Carolyn is the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions including the following:
• Woman of Distinction-Middle Georgia Girl Scout Council
• Georgia Festival Director of the Year
• Gracious Lady of Georgia
• Sylvan Branch Award, Festival of Trees, Kent State University
• Leadership Awards–Keep America Beautiful and Keep Georgia Beautiful
• “People Who Have Made a Difference in Their Communities” ABC TelevisionThe Keep Macon-Bibb Beautiful Commission Award and the Carolyn Crayton Cherry Blossom Festival Award; a state award-Keep Georgia Beautiful’s Carolyn Crayton “Woman of the Year”; and a national award-Keep America Beautiful’s Carolyn Crayton Award for an environmental friendly national business awards are all in her honor.Another of Carolyn’s impressive contributions to this community as well as to the entire state of Georgia is her appointment by the past four Georgia governors to serve as an at-large board member of the State of Georgia Department of Community Affairs. This department oversees 65 statewide programs one of which is to provide safe and affordable housing for Georgia citizens. Recently this department opened’transformedit”1940’s housing project into the beautiful and new 76-unit Tindall Senior Towers providing much needed comfortable, safe, and affordable housing for seniors. Another building is under construction and two additional ones are planned.
Carolyn serves on the following boards:
- International Festival and Events Association (President’s Council and Executive Committee; Past Chair of Foundation Board; Member of Hall of Fame)
• Keep America Beautiful, Inc. (Board of Directors and National Consultant)
• Keep Macon-Bibb Beautiful Commission (All committees)
• Macon, Georgia’s International Cherry Blossom Festival Board
(All committees)
• Museum of Aviation Board of Directors, Robins, Air Force Base
(First Female Board Chair-2012)
• Macon Rescue Mission Board of Directors
• Middle Georgia State University Foundation Board of Trustees
• Robert L, Scott Golf Tournament for Museum of Aviation
• State of Georgia Department of Community Affairs (Board Chair- 2012)
• Vineville Garden Club (Past President)
• Wesleyan Woods Garden Club (Past President)
