Have you ever wondered how we’ve kept litter from lining the streets, sidewalks, and greenspaces of our community? Though we can attribute some of the cleanliness to our proud residents, it’s important to acknowledge the great effort and contributions of OKC Beautiful and the Greater Oklahoma City Parks & Trails Foundation.
What is the history behind these two organizations?
In 1962, the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber organized a beautification committee. It soon transitioned into the Mayor’s Committee for City Beautification under Mayer James H. Norick, and in 1971 it became its own nonprofit organization with a dedicated mission to maintain the beauty of our city. Now, 40 years later, OKC Beautiful continues to make a significant and meaningful impact through the generous support of volunteers and the private funds provided by caring citizens and local businesses.
The Greater Oklahoma City Parks & Trails Foundation is a powerful leading advocate for the greenspaces in our community, though they have only been in operation for two years. Since their beginning in 2019, they have been committed to supporting our community with ideas both big and small to care for our 170 parks and 14 trails.
How can I volunteer?
Each year, OKC Beautiful hosts a month-long LitterBlitz campaign. This year’s LitterBlitz has been going on throughout the month of April, and it’s very easy to sign up! You simply fill out a form with the details of the area you’ll be cleaning, the number of volunteers you expect in your group, and the date you plan on making it happen. As the group lead, you’ll be in charge of signing a liability waiver, collecting signatures from your volunteers on the day of, and (if you’re willing) providing fun photos of your experience to help promote other groups to join in! Before your litter-blitzing session, OKC Beautiful will put a bag of cleaning supplies and protective gear on their porch for you to pick up. There are few volunteer opportunities as easy and flexible as this one!
If you don’t have time to fit in a LitterBlitz before the end of this month, consider signing up for their Adopt-A-Park program. According to OKC Beautiful, “This program gives everyone a chance to help beautify Oklahoma City's public parks and lands and enhance our city. Volunteers can choose to pick up litter, mow, or make city-approved landscape improvements on a year-round basis. Each group is recognized with a sign acknowledging its efforts in its park or median.”
Where can I go to enjoy the outdoors in OKC?
We are fortunate to have multiple options for trails and parks throughout the city. On sunny days, the people of Oklahoma City don’t shy away from the opportunity to soak up some vitamin D as they appreciate the gorgeous landscapes and fresh air.
Check out this full list of trails when you want to find your next place to enjoy the outdoors on a walk, bike ride, or run. If you want to settle down for a picnic, enjoy time with your pup in the sunshine, or find a large space to play ball, you’ll love this list of parks in OKC.
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