Who We Are

Pride, Incorporated is a local, non-profit organization dedicated to community beautification.

Since its Founding in 1966 by Dr. Gordon Moore, Pride Inc. has brought together caring citizens, civic organizations, and federal agencies to improve the quality of life for residents and visitors of the greater Alton area.

We believe that it is imperative that we beautify our home, not only to boost commerce but to instill a sense of civic pride that will last for generations.

Pride Incorporated History

An afternoon conversation about street trees was one of the first seeds planted that eventually bloomed into the organization we now know as Pride, Inc. Dr. Gordon Moore, a local surgeon, and avid horticulturalists were discussing street trees with the publisher of The Alton Evening Telegraph, Paul B. Cousley. They believed the city’s appearance could be greatly enhanced with the addition of trees along the streets and soon six globe locusts were planted in tree wells around the Stratford Hotel.

Not long afterward Dr. Moore shared his vision of an organization dedicated to beautification to about fifteen community leaders. Dr. Moore felt that most people wanted to improve the look and quality of their community but an organization was needed to educate and coordinate the resources by uniting the communities of the Alton Lake in a positive effort. In 1967 Dr. Moore wrote, “Our community is a good old girl whose face has become a little dirty; let’s wash her face. She has a proud heritage, let’s accentuate her attributes by our positive actions. Her society is an affluent one; let’s use our affluence to relieve her of some of her ugly scars of which she can’t be proud. She will serve you and me and our children in a much more desirable fashion.”

In February of 1966 Pride, Incorporated was formed as a non-profit organization dedicated to the education and stimulation of beautification in the 16 communities surrounding the Alton Lake area. Pride was promoted as a non-political entity that was supported entirely with private funds.

Dr. Moore tapped the best, the brightest and the wealthiest as resources for the new organization. He traveled to countless civic meetings, slide show in hand, demonstrating how each group could contribute to local beautification. His committees were filled with fellow doctors, lawyers, company presidents and members of countless local civic groups. When a committee was formed to attack the littering on Alton Lake and he realized his best tool for the job was the news media, Dr. Moore formed a committee comprised of the Outdoor Writers from the Alton and St. Louis newspapers. Through their campaign, the message was passed to thousands of boaters. For his education committee, Dr. Moore recruited the superintendents of four area school districts.

When Dr. Moore saw a problem in the community that needed attention he would connect a group with a financial resource and get the job accomplished. The organization set a fundraising goal of $95,000 in the first year to cover the first three years’ budgets and pledged to return the money collected if the goal was not reached. The public responded dramatically and the goal was reached in months.

The crowning achievement of Pride’s first 35 years is Gordon F. Moore Community Park. Dr. Moore’s ability to connect labor, business and government in a common goal resulted in a magnificent facility and a source of great community pride.

Founders

The Board of Directors of Pride, Incorporated named 106 individuals, businesses, industries and organizations who had the faith to step forward with their time and money in 1966 to launch Pride. From this beginning, Pride has become a positive, dynamic force in this area and has achieved national recognition. The following 106 names should be forever recognized as “Founders of Pride.”

Homer M. Adams

William M. Akin

Paul B. Akin

Alton Banking & Trust Company

Alton Box Board Company

Alton Evening Telegraph

Alton Savings & Loan Association

Alton-Wood River Board of Realtors

Robert R. Anschuetz, M.D.

James M. Bailey

George R. Berry

Irvin H. Blumfield, M.D.

Donald S. Bottom, M.D.

Reverend C. H. Burroughs

Canteen Company Service

Citizens Savings & Loan Association

City Fuel & Supply Company, Inc.

Warren P. Chappee

Homer M. Clark

Paul S. Cousley

S. John Crawley

Robert L. DeGrand

Ralph A. Dickson, D.D.S.

District 9, International Association of Machinists

Dixon Distributing Company, Inc.

Duncan Foundry & Machine Works, Inc.

Samuel W. Duncan

Malcolm D. Durr

Robert W. Elliott, M.D.

William C. Fairbanks

First National Bank & Trust Company of Alton

Paul M. Fischer, D.D.S.

Edward P. Foeller

Dennison D. Foster, Jr.

Germania Federal Savings & Loan Association

Ginter-Wardein Company

W. C. Gschwend

Albert W. Haegele

Henry H. Halley, M. D.

Hellrung Construction Company & “500 Club”

Karl K. Hoagland

R. Frank Hollis

Home Savings & Loan Association

John H. Hooker, M.D.

C. J. Jacoby & Company

Hamilton C. Jones

J. B. Johnson, Ed.D.

Lawrence Keller, Jr.

Malcolm Kindig

Wilbur J. Kienstra

Harold P. Klinke

L. Allen Klope

Victor R. Koenig

R. H. Levis

A. L. Lindblad, O.D.

Ralph W. Luken

Henry McAdams

William H. Middleton, M.D.

M. R. Milnor

Robert S. Minsker

Joseph J. Mira, M.D.

Mississippi Lime Company

Gordon F. Moore, M.D.

Frank A. Morrison, M.D.

Rolla J. Mottaz

John J. Mueller, M.D.

Spencer T. Olin

John M. Olin

William G. Osborn

William E. Parker

Mrs. Mather Pfeiffenberger

Pepsi Cola Alton Bottling, Inc.

Daniel W. Platt, M.D.

William T. Roberts

Fred T. Renshaw

William B. Roller

Charles A. Rook

E. N. Rousseau

Dwight E. Ruyle

Robert E. Ryan

George M. Ryrie

Richard C. Scheffel

J. Fred Schlafly, Jr.

Sears, Roebuck & Company

C. H. Sheppard

Shell Oil Company

John E. Shortal

Joseph L. Sinner

Joseph J. Springman

John J. Springman, Sr.

Alvin A. Stolze

I. H. Streeper, III

Marvin W. Swaim

W. Harold Thomas

James F. Towey

Union Electric Company

Louis D. Victor

Nancy Voege, M.D.

Joseph B. Walters

M. D. Walston

E. P. Waterhouse

John W. Wedig, M.D.

Henry A. Wuellner

Bert J. Wuellner

Ned H. Wuellner

J. J. Wuellner & Sons, Inc.

Board Of Directors

Pride Incorporated Officers

Melissa Kasten, President

Karen Wilson, VP of Advocacy

Natalie Merrill, VP of Beautification

Roxanne Wittman, VP of Fundraising

Pat Ackman, Secretary

Dr. Myles Yanta, Treasurer

Board of Directors

Pat Ackman

Brenda Darr

Nancy Elson

Ed Gray

Mike Haynes

Melissa Kasten

John Keller

Pat Kimbro

Carolyn MacAfee

John Meehan

Natalie Merrill

Dale Neudecker

Katie Piper

Karen Wilson

Roxanne Wittman

Mary Yanta

Dr. Myles Yanta

Executive Dirtector

Pat Stewart

Gallery

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Together We Can

More than a dozen metal trash cans painted by students from Alton High School, Alton Middle School, East Elementary, North Elementary, and the Alton Boys & Girls Club now adorn James Killion Park thanks to the Together We “Can” Campaign.

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A Dam Party

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Bucket Brigade

bucket brigade

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Garfield Park Clean Up

garfield park

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Welcome To Alton Sign

welcome to alton

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Belle Street Park Revitalization

Belle Street Park Revitalization

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Delmar Beautification

Delmar Beautification

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6722 Godfrey Road,

Godfrey, IL 62035

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