You are invited to attend the Keep Sedona Beautiful 38^th Annual Awards of Excellence for 2009. The Awards of Excellence luncheon will be held on Sunday, February 14, at Los Abrigados Resort and Spa from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm. Check-in will begin at 11:00 am. Popular Sedona entertainers Tom and Shondra will emcee the luncheon.  Tickets are $35 per person for Keep Sedona Beautiful members or $40 for non-members.  You can reserve a table for 10 for $325.  Call 282-4938 for reservations and information, or visit the KSB website at www.keepsedonabeautiful.org.

Each year since 1972 Keep Sedona Beautiful, a non-for profit organization dedicated to preserving the wonder of Sedona, has recognized individuals, businesses and organizations in the Greater Sedona area for architectural designs, landscaping, lighting, signage, conservation, and outstanding community service which contribute in a significant way to “Keeping Sedona Beautiful.”

This year, the following individuals, businesses, and organizations will be honored: the Oak Creek Canyon Task Force, Ciera Crawley, Rita Livingston, Jim Eaton, Beatrice Welles, Barbara Litrell, the Jordan Road Project, the Sedona Volunteer Park Rangers, the West Sedona Elementary School and the Big Park Community School.

The winner of the 3^rd Annual Keep Sedona Beautiful “Capture the Wonder” Photo Contest will also be recognized at the awards luncheon.

Red Rock Sunset

With an EXTENDED January 15, 2010 deadline, this is the final call for submissions to KSB’s 3rd Annual “Capture The Wonder” photo contest. The first two annual contests garnered international attention drawing entries from as far away as Poland.  Contest submissions from the first two contests were used in the popular Scenic Sedona video  which has received over 5,000 views on youtube.com.

Photos will be professionally judged in two divisions: professional and amateur.  There are three divisions: Color, Black and white, and “Capture the Wonder at Night” focusing on the unique beauty of Sedona illuminated by the stars and moon. The competition is open to everyone except members of the Keep Sedona Beautiful Board, the contest committee, the judging panel or their families.

All images will be judged on creativity, technique and their relevance to the contest theme, “Capture the Wonder”.   Photos must have been taken on or after Jan. 1, 2008, and should be titled. The deadline for entries is January 15, 2010.  The winners of the contest will be announced in at the Annual Keep Sedona Beautiful Awards Luncheon.

Photos may  be submitted online at the Keep Sedona Beautiful website, or by e-mail in jpeg format to photocontest@keepsedonabeautiful.org.  Entries may also be submitted on CD or DVD.  Photos may be in color or black-and-white.

Complete contest rules and entry blanks are available on Keep Sedona Beautiful’s website www.keepsedonabeautiful.org or at the KSB Pushmataha Center, 360 Brewer Road, Sedona between 2:00 and 5:pm weekdays (phone 282-4938).  Deadline for submission is January 15, 2010.   Winning entries will be announced in late January and displayed in various Sedona locations and throughout the year on the KSB website.

Since its inception in 1972, KSB has been dedicated to “Preserving the Wonder” of Sedona. Their education and advocacy activities and goals range from land preservation to litter lifting. The aim of the contest is to “Capture the Wonder” of this Red Rock region. KSB President Steve DeVol notes ” What better way to “Preserve the Wonder’ than to capture it in a photograph.”  Locals and the rest of the world are encouraged to submit their personal images!

Photo by Bob Coates

Sedona is known for majestic red rock beauty, though when the sun goes down, another natural marvel takes center stage: Sedona’s starry nights. But our brilliant celestial display could be in danger of fading, as it has in many growing cities and towns throughout the world.

The good news is that a few simple measures can help preserve Sedona’s starry skies.  Keep Sedona Beautiful, the  Sedona Main Street Program, and the City of Sedona offer this information:

Why is is harder to see the Milky Way these days?

• Whatever we call it — light trespass, urban glow, or light pollution — the problem is artificial brightening of the night sky above cities and towns. Brighter skies make stars and celestial bodies, like the Milky Way, appear faded, less distinct or not visible at all.

What Causes light pollution?

• Inefficient lighting — either unnecessarily bright, or directed or reflected upward — sends light into the sky instead of down where we need it.

What’s wrong with too much light?

Too much light or misdirected light …

• Wastes energy dollars
• Wastes resources (like coal or oil) used to produce energy
• Increases pollution associated with resource consumption
• Creates glare, making it difficult for drivers and others to see at night
• Causes light trespass, from neighboring properties to yours
• Makes for clutter and confusion, an unattractive and distracting nighttime
• environment in our cities and towns

Who is affected by light pollution?

• Amateur stargazers, astronomers, drivers, pilots, conservationists, taxpayers, neighbors … nearly everyone including animals is affected by light pollution.

What can I do about it?

• Shield the lights you use at night, directing their glow down to illuminate doorways, paths, etc. Be sure you are not losing light to the sky or spilling light onto neighboring yards.
• Take advantage of dimmer switches, time controls, or motion sensors to use light more effectively, when and where you need it.
• Consider switching to low-pressure sodium lights. LPS lights are not only preferred by astronomers, they are also energy efficient.
• If you are bother by glare or trespass from your neighbors’ lights, talk to them about it, or give them a copy of this brochure.
• Contact businesses that cause glow or distracting glare. Encourage them to use light more efficiently and to turn off unnecessary signage after midnight.
• Participate in public meeting involving local and regional outdoor lighting guidelines.
• Join Keep Sedona Beautiful or other organizations that promote dark skies.

The stars have been our guiding lights through centuries of human development — to preserve this delightful and dazzling display for future generations is just one more way to Keep Sedona Beautiful.

Stepping Stone Crossing

You may have seen the July 15 issue of Kudos, with this beautiful photograph on the cover. It was taken by Fred Parsons and is called ”Stepping Stone Crossing”.   It looks like it was taken around this time of the year, judging by the angle of the light, those wispy clouds in the  sky, and the level of the creek.

This amazing photo is from the 2007 Keep Sedona Beautiful Capture the Wonder Photo Contest.  This year’s deadline is November 30.  All photos must have been taken within the Amendment 12 area and have been taken since January 1, 2008.  This year the contest will be in 2 divisions: professional and amateur…no age restrictions this time. And don’t forget about black and white. Oh, and Sedona by night. If you’re not comfortable about night shooting, google “night photography” and you’ll find everything you ever wanted to know about night shooting. So, photographers, blow the dust of that camera, sharpen those shooting skills and show us your stuff!

For more inspiration — or just to admire some gorgeous Sedona photography — check out the 2007 and 2008 galleries at KeepSedonaBeautiful.org