Keep McAlester Beautiful

06/04/2026

May's Newsletter came out last week! If you're interested in seeing the Spring Cleanup results and our other May activities, click the link to read.
https://conta.cc/4uQE4cO

We won't be posting every newsletter, so be sure to sign up for our mailing list on our website!

Email from Keep McAlester Beautiful Read about our activities in May Out With the Old: Spring Cleanup 2026 As a part of our mission to reduce waste in the community, KMB holds a free collection event

06/03/2026

Yesterday I was lucky enough to get the opportunity to educate the kids at the Flying By Summer Program about recycling!

I truly couldn't have asked for a better group to present to. We spoke a little about why it's important to recycle and then we played a little game called "is it recyclable?"

The kids had to reach into a bag and tell me whether the item was recyclable or not. They were all such smart kids, many of them knew if they could without me even showing them what to look for on the item.

Thank you so much Deloures Smith for inviting me as a guest speaker. I can't wait to present again in July!

06/02/2026

This month, we'll be uncovering a piece of history at Hunters Park on June 13th! We'll be clearing out some serious overgrowth at 9 a.m., so be prepared to get in some weeds!

The bleachers were a part of the football stadium for L'Overture School. L'Overture was an all-black school during the time of segregation, and the stadium was built for the school as part of a public works project in 1933.

Now, the school has been closed since 1968, and the football stadium is no longer a stadium but apartments with the McAlester Housing Authority. All that remains of it is this part of the bleachers still visible and accessible from Hunters Park.

It is our job to preserve our historical landmarks so future generations can learn about our past and how we got to where we are now. So if you're available Saturday, please help us remove some of the overgrowth that has hidden the bleachers.

Dress accordingly since we'll be working in tall grass. We will be supplying certain tools, but if you'd like to bring your own, feel free to do so!

06/01/2026

Two new signs up on E Van Buren and South Elm for our newest block adopter!

There will be two more coming soon for our other new block adopters, In and Out Construction and The Dancing Rabbit Music Association.

If you'd like to adopt your own block visit our website to sign up at https://keepmcalesterbeautiful.com/community/adopt-a-block/

Thank you so much to our four new adopters! Hopefully we'll see even more join the program.

05/28/2026

Congratulations to our 2026 J.T. Collier Memorial Leadership Scholarship recipients: Ember Duffy and Reagan Dominic!🎉🎉

We received 9 applications from some excellent seniors all around the area. It was a tough decision, but our scholarship committee narrowed it down to these young ladies, with only half a point difference between the two.

When you look at their record, it's no wonder why it was so close between the two. Both women have a knack for leadership and giving back to their community. You can see it clearly in their plans for the future.

Ms. Reagan Dominic will attend East Central University in the fall, pursuing a degree in Mass Communication. She intends to use her passions for sports, public speaking, and writing to propel her career in sports journalism. Reagan hopes that while attending college, she can help her high school softball coach with teaching the new softball players.

Ms. Ember Duffy will attend the University of Oklahoma in the fall, pursuing a degree in Management. Her community service experience has inspired her to seek a career in city government. Ember wants to continue to serve the public by joining the OU's President's Leadership Class and participating in their volunteer projects.

Ember and Reagan embody the values it takes to receive this scholarship. So we are beyond honored to award the J.T. Collier Memorial Leadership Scholarship to both of them.

We hope that this scholarship is just one stepping stone in a long, bright path to their future!

05/27/2026

The office will be closed today. Sorry for the inconvenience!

05/26/2026

The City of McAlester invites the community to celebrate the completion of the Mullen Park improvement project during “The Final Piece” Ribbon Cutting & Dedication on Tuesday, June 23 at 11 a.m. at the Mullen Park Pavilion.

The approximately $650,000 improvement project transformed Mullen Park into a more welcoming, family-friendly community space through a combination of park upgrades, expanded shade areas, beautification efforts, and community partnerships.

Project improvements included splash pad improvements, pavilion upgrades, restroom improvements, expanded shade areas, irrigation improvements, Story Walk features, and the planting of 50 Oklahoma native trees.

The “Shade and Story: Transforming Mullen Park” portion of the project focused on expanding shade through native tree plantings while creating new educational and family-oriented experiences through the addition of Story Walk features and community partnerships.

City officials said the project represents a continued investment in neighborhood parks and public spaces designed to serve families and residents for years to come.

“‘The Final Piece’ represents more than the completion of a project,” said Community Services Director Doug Basinger. “It represents years of planning, partnerships, volunteer support, and a shared commitment to making McAlester’s parks stronger and more beautiful for the community.”

“A project like this only happens through strong partnerships and community support,” said Mayor Justin Few. “Mullen Park has been transformed into an even more vibrant space for children, families, and residents to enjoy, and we’re grateful to everyone who helped make this vision a reality.”

A special thank you was extended to the McAlester Community Tree Board for its dedication throughout the project. City officials said the Tree Board played a major role in helping move the project forward from the beginning and in supporting long-term improvements to McAlester’s parks and green spaces.

The City of McAlester also recognized the support and contributions of the Oklahoma Tourism & Recreation Department, the Land and Water Conservation Fund program, Oklahoma Forestry Services, the U.S. Forest Service, the McAlester Public Library, donor partners, volunteers, community partners, and McAlester Parks & Recreation crews.

The June 23 event will include a ribbon cutting ceremony, a symbolic final tree planting, installation of “The Final Piece,” and a community celebration with photo opportunities.

Community members are encouraged to attend and help celebrate the completion of one of the city’s latest park improvement projects.

05/21/2026

Reminder that our Luncheon is today at 12 p.m.! I hope we can beat the rain 🌧️🌧️

It's that time again! Our monthly luncheon is this Thursday at noon.

Through rain or shine, Keep McAlester Beautiful is working to make McAlester a beautiful place to live in. Come learn about our projects, both past and upcoming, at the Yardbird this week.

Hopefully the weather will be a bit better by then😅 In the meantime stay dry and I'll see you there!

05/19/2026

It's that time again! Our monthly luncheon is this Thursday at noon.

Through rain or shine, Keep McAlester Beautiful is working to make McAlester a beautiful place to live in. Come learn about our projects, both past and upcoming, at the Yardbird this week.

Hopefully the weather will be a bit better by then😅 In the meantime stay dry and I'll see you there!

05/19/2026

I gotta shout out another block adopter! Thank you to Keller Williams SEOK for cleaning up Choctaw Ave. last Thursday.

Kevin Beaty and his group of 5 volunteers cleared all of Choctaw, from Main to 5th Street. That was just one of their volunteer project for the group that day.

Keller Williams Realty tries to give back to its local communities by spending a day volunteering around the city. We are so happy that you guys decided to volunteer with us for your volunteer day, or as the Keller Williams team calls it, "Red Day."

They collected 4 full litter buckets after an hour of combing the block. Let them be an inspiration to us all to volunteer our time whenever we can. Even just one day a year makes a huge difference.

Again, thank you guys for cleaning up our streets. We appreciate all that you do for McAlester!