The 2023 Prestigious P.R.I.D.E. – People Responsible for Improving DeKalb’s Environment –  awards were given out to three groups who have proven to help and restore give back to the DeKalb community.

The awards were presented during the DeKalb’s Citizens’ Environmental Commission Jan. 4 meeting. 

Harrelson’s Bikes for Cause is a nonprofit group created by Brianne and Zachary Harrelson, who go around to local scrap businesses and the Salvation Army to save bikes from destruction. 

Zachary Harrelson fixes the bikes and gives them out to local children for free. The Harreslsons have given away over a hundred free bikes to children.

Greg Romaneck spent hours thrifting through the Kishwaukee River cleaning up trash. Romaneck spends hours each trip cleaning up over 150 bottles each trip and pounds of trash throughout the Kishwaukee River. 

The last winner of the Pride Award is the We Remove Things junk removal company. Jovon Brown has kept many items from the landfill by putting them up for resale and helps clients by taking items they no longer use off their hands.