Volunteer Banquet Award Winners

Thursday, February 26th, was the Keep McAlester Beautiful 17th Annual Volunteer Appreciation Banquet. As the event went on, guests filled each table in support of our award winners for 2025. KMB saw so many volunteers throughout last year, so the decision was tough, but we feel that this year’s award winners are truly deserving of the accolades.

Our Award Winners for 2025

District 18 Drug Court for the Community Partner Award – Tiffany Swango and Tarrant King with Drug Court have always supported our volunteer projects by promoting them within the court. This has brought us many amazing volunteers who continue to come back and support our organization’s events. These volunteers consistently show up to our volunteer days, especially for our Spring and Fall Cleanups.

CSI Recycling for the Community Sustainability Award – The Crandle family has been giving McAlester residents a better, more sustainable way to get rid of their unwanted metal and appliances since 2010. They are also a big contributor to KMB’s Spring and Fall Cleanups; without them, we would not be able to take scrap metal or old appliances at our events.

The Southeast Oklahoma Trail Club for the Community Beautification Award – This non-profit was created in 2022 with the idea of making platted but undeveloped roads into bike trails. This idea spiraled into the making of McAlester Urban Trails, a 6.5-mile biking trail that opened in June 2025. The four men responsible for the organization are Jeff Mann, Blake Lynch, Randy Saunier, and Richard Peckio, and they hope to expand the trail by 8 miles in the future.

Nathan Fults, Clifford Harrison, and Arthur Horinek for the Spirit Award – These three run the McAlester Recycling Center Monday through Friday, and in April, they work each weekend so KMB can run the Spring Cleanup. Because they operate all of the heavy equipment for our cleanups, they’re one of the many people who make our collection events possible. They have shown a clear commitment to the enhancement of McAlester through their work, and without them, we would have one less option for recycling in our area.

Declan Miller for the Outstanding Student Award – Declan Miller is a 14-year-old Boy Scout who has repainted and repaired the unnamed soldiers pavilion memorial in Oak Hill Cemetery for his Eagle Scout project. He has been a Boy Scout since 2021, and he enjoys the outdoors and performing community service. His father, Steven Miller, said He chose his Eagle Scout project as a way to honor those who have served our country and the sacrifices they have made. Declan just finished the roof of the pavilion this past Saturday, Feb 28^th.

David Beall for Volunteer of the Year Award – David is an avid volunteer in McAlester; he spends his free time participating in several organizations in town, including Keep McAlester Beautiful. David is currently serving his 18th year with us. He is the primary mentor and support system for the volunteers, the executive director, and the board. In 2025, David assumed the responsibilities and duties of the executive director for several weeks while we searched for a new director. His work ensured the citizens of our community and the partners we work with were served. No email or phone call went unanswered, no project was canceled. He has gone above and beyond for the KMB and for McAlester.

Congratulations to all our award winners, and thank you for all that you do for McAlester. Each one of you has made a lasting impact on the community.

Thank you to all of our sponsors and donors who made our banquet possible. We hope to see you all again next year!

Corporate Sponsors