The 28th annual Environmental Excellence Celebration hosted by Keep Oklahoma Beautiful (KOB) is set for Friday, November 30th at the Hilton Garden Inn & Edmond Conference Center.
Keep Oklahoma Beautiful is a statewide nonprofit organization founded in 1965 and is a state affiliate to Keep America Beautiful. Through KOB’s mission to empower Oklahoma citizens to preserve and enhance the state’s natural beauty and ensure a healthy, sustainable environment, six individuals or groups have been elected by the KOB Board as recipients of the prestigious board commendation awards.
The 2018 recipients include:
Sara Hill (Cherokee Nation)- Towering Spirit Award
Chickasaw Reuse Center- Visionary Leadership Award
Francis Solar System (Tulsa)- Vanguard Award
Karen Chapman (Blue Thumb)- Champion Volunteer Award|
Tom Creider (Program Manager of Oklahoma State Parks)- Lifetime Achievement Award
American Waste, Waste Connections and Waste Management- Environmental Advocate Award
Throughout the year, the public has the opportunity to nominate groups or individuals for their efforts to benefit Oklahoma as Keep Oklahoma Beautiful hosts the Environmental Excellence Competition. The finalists for the competition, determined by the panel of guest judges, showed exceptional work in the following areas: education, conservation, beautification, sustainability practices, nonprofit efforts, youth leadership, litter prevention, and more.
The 2018 finalists in those categories include:
-Kay Watson – Ardmore Beautification Council
-Chuck Ralls – City of Comanche
-Ony Russell – Owasso Strong Neighborhood Initiative
-Nathan Pickard – Up With Trees
-Wild About Piedmont
-City of Comanche
-Phoenix Circle Foundation
-OKC Beautiful
-Michelin of North America
-Heart of Route 66 Auto Museum
-Oklahoma State University
-City of Sapulpa
-City of Norman – Environmental Control Advisory Board
-City of Owasso – Owasso Strong Neighborhood Initiative
-City of Oklahoma City – Shine Program
-Will Rogers Elementary
-Boy Scout Troop #169
– Deputy Don Hudgins – Logan County Sheriff’s Office
-Bryan Jump –Coal County Sheriff’s Office
-Logan County District Commissioners
-Phoenix Circle Foundation
-Pride in McAlester
-Ardmore Beautification Council
-Wildhorse Gardens and Market
– South Central Industries
-Earth Rebirth
– Ardmore Clean Team
– OK County OSU Extension Office
-OK Tree Bank Foundation
-City of Lawton
-Twin Cities Revitalization
-City of Grove
-City of Pauls Valley
-Pride in McAlester
-City of Comanche
-The Plaza District
-Martin Park Teen Board
-Friends of Dow Lake
-Durant Area Chamber of Commerce
For more information about this event or to see the full story of the 2018 recipients and finalists, please visit: https://bit.ly/2Nqy7Ta
To purchase tickets for the fundraiser, banquet, and awards presentation, please visit: https://bit.ly/2ufpm3B
