Keep Oklahoma Beautiful

10/16/2026

🏆 ODOT Overall Cleanup of the Year Winner: Friends of the Ninnekah Cemetery!

This six person volunteer board preserves the Ninnekah town cemetery in Grady County and used a KOB grant to place a flag at every veteran's gravesite there. Congratulations!

🏆 OG&E Cleanup of the Year Winners: City of El Reno - Gov and Green Pastures North Neighborhood Association!

City of El Reno won in the Growth tier. Through their Code Enforcement C.A.R.E.S. program, city staff and 75 volunteers spent 58 hours across 9 cleanup events this year, clearing 90 acres of public land and planting new garden spaces for the community.

Green Pastures North Neighborhood Association won in the Startup tier. In Spencer, 65 volunteers spent an afternoon clearing 8 miles of public roads and community space as part of their local Big Event day of service.

Congratulations to all three!

Join us to celebrate all of this year's honorees at the Environmental Excellence Celebration on October 29. Tickets: https://www.keepoklahomabeautiful.com/our-events/eec/tickets.html

10/15/2026

🏆 Environmental Law Enforcement Winner: City of Bethany!

Their Code Enforcement team responded to two oil spills and runs Community Builds Community, pairing volunteers with residents who need help meeting code.

Congratulations!

Also honored as a finalist: Sgt. Philip Bennett, recognized for giving people on probation a way to give back through community cleanups.

Join us to celebrate all of this year's honorees at the Environmental Excellence Celebration on October 29. Tickets: https://www.keepoklahomabeautiful.com/our-events/eec/tickets.html

10/14/2026

Last chance to join us! 🌿 Tickets for the 36th Annual Environmental Excellence Celebration close Thursday, October 15.

Join us Thursday, October 29 at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City for an evening honoring Oklahoma’s environmental champions — with dinner, live music, a silent auction, and more.

🎟️ $125 per person | Table packages available
🕠 Doors open at 5:30 PM

Get your tickets before they’re gone: keepok.org

10/09/2026

🏆 Affiliate of the Year Winners: Oklahoma Monarch Society/Okies for Monarchs
and OKC Farmers Market District!

Oklahoma Monarch Society won Affiliate Project of the Year. Their Route 66 Native Plant & Pollinator Festival in Elk City drew a crowd with native plant vendors, free milkweed starter plants, and a new 100 square foot demonstration pollinator habitat, all grown out of a small garden that started with a KOB Route 66 grant.

OKC Farmers Market District won Rookie Affiliate of the Year. They hosted a free Fix It, Mend It, Swap It Upcycling Minifest, offering clothing, tool, and book swaps alongside recycling drop offs and hands on workshops.

Congratulations to both!

Join us to celebrate all of this year's honorees at the Environmental Excellence Celebration on October 29. Tickets: https://www.keepoklahomabeautiful.com/our-events/eec/tickets.html

10/08/2026

🏆 Communal Excellence Winners: Dr. Mark Walvoord and Global Gardens

Dr. Mark Walvoord won in the Individual category. He co-founded UCO's Sustainability Center, whose Broncho Bites program has recovered over 19,000 pounds of food for people facing food insecurity.

Global Gardens won in the Organization category. Their garden-based programs reached over 5,000 students and community members across 21 Tulsa sites last year.

Congratulations to both!

Also honored as finalists: Keima Borsuah and Janet Cress (Individual), and ASEZ WAO
and Kitty Gang Family Foundation/Scraps Community Composting (Organization).

Join us to celebrate all of this year's honorees at the Environmental Excellence Celebration on October 29. Tickets: https://www.keepoklahomabeautiful.com/our-events/eec/tickets.html

10/02/2026

🏆 KOB Affiliate Champion Volunteer Winners: Jeff Ebbs and James Thompson!

Jeff helped launch Tree OKC in 2022, which has since planted and distributed thousands of trees across the Oklahoma City metro. OKC Beautiful

James has hosted his local KOB affiliate's recycling events on his own property for four and a half years in Carter County. Ardmore Beautification Council, Inc.

Congratulations to both!

Join us to celebrate all of this year's honorees at the Environmental Excellence Celebration on October 29. Tickets: https://www.keepoklahomabeautiful.com/our-events/eec/tickets.html

10/01/2026

🏆 Business Excellence Award Winner: ONEOK, Inc. !

Through their Volunteers with Energy program, 348 ONEOK employees logged over 1,380 volunteer hours on 23 environmental projects across Oklahoma since January 2025. Congratulations!

Also honored as finalists this year: EnviroDispose and Blackjack Environmental & Roll Offs, both recognized for going above and beyond for their communities.

Join us to celebrate all of this year's honorees at the Environmental Excellence Celebration on October 29.

Tickets: https://www.keepoklahomabeautiful.com/our-events/eec/tickets.html

09/25/2026

🏆 Higher Education Excellence Winner: Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service Solid Waste Program !

Oklahoma State University Solid Waste Extension Program reaches all 77 Oklahoma counties and launched the state's first Oklahoma Recycling Festival in 2024.

Congratulations!

Also honored as finalists: The University of Oklahoma and East Central University, both recognized for real environmental impact on campus and in their communities.

Join us to celebrate all of this year's honorees at the Environmental Excellence Celebration on October 29. Tickets: https://www.keepoklahomabeautiful.com/our-events/eec/tickets.html

09/24/2026

🏆 Collaborative Excellence Winner: Texanna Fire Department !

Their free annual community cleanup near Lake Eufaula removes 200 to 300 tires and 60 tons of debris every year.

Congratulations!

Also honored as finalists: Keep McAlester Beautiful, The M.e.t., City of Midwest City - Government, and OKC Beautiful

Join us to celebrate all of this year's honorees at the Environmental Excellence Celebration on October 29. Tickets: https://www.keepoklahomabeautiful.com/our-events/eec/tickets.html

08/28/2026