City to participate in Community Revitalization

Keep Oklahoma Beautiful (KOB) received over 50 applications, and then HIS Paint, paint donor, selected 19 community structures to participate in Paint Oklahoma Beautiful. The Paint Oklahoma Beautiful program encourages volunteers to seek out community structures and renovate them with the creative use of resources. The City of Comanche has been chosen as one of the participating groups this year.

Paint Oklahoma Beautiful is a program founded on the collaboration between H-I-S Paint and Keep Oklahoma Beautiful.

With sponsors’ help, KOB provides the paint and a stipend for supplies; selected communities supply the volunteers and elbow grease.

This program has helped revitalize Oklahoma communities with a fresh coat of paint. H-I-S Paint and Keep Oklahoma Beautiful started the Paint Oklahoma Beautiful program in 2005.

“H-I-S Paint is thrilled with the transformations being made within each community participating in the Paint Oklahoma Beautiful in Oklahoma initiative. It’s amazing how a fresh coat of paint can help to transform an entire community,” said Joe Cox, founder and CEO of H-I-S Paint.

Dillon Wehba, the Programs Coordinator for KOB, works with potential participants throughout the application process.

“My heart smiles assisting communities with the Paint Oklahoma Beautiful program.” Wehba said, “The participants of Paint Oklahoma Beautiful truly exemplify volunteerism and how people coming together can make a big change!”

When the Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) began to support the program, KOB could offer participating groups a cash stipend to purchase supplies and make the program cost-effective for participating groups.

“Public Service Company of Oklahoma is pleased to continue its support of Paint Oklahoma Beautiful and of the individuals and organizations who work hard to make their communities great places to live and work,” said James A. Evers, formerly with State Governmental & Environmental Affairs for PSO.

CL Boyd, an Oklahoma equipment company, and Waste Management, a waste treatment company, are providing a total of 7 pressure washers together to the recipients of their equipment grant. The winners of the power washers are the Canute Preservation & Restoration Project, the Town of El Dorado, Marble City Farmers Market, City of Stroud, Springtown Historical Foundation, Legacy Group, and Newton’s Garage, Laverne.

The group will have 30 days to complete their projects using donated paint from H-I-S Paint of Oklahoma City and a stipend from the Public Service Company of Oklahoma and the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality.

The City of Comanche will be among 19 groups competing for the “Best Visual Impact Award” through the “Communities Primed for Change” online contest.

Finalists will be chosen based on their ‘before’ and ‘after’ photos. Winners will be announced at the Keep Oklahoma Beautiful 33rd Annual Environmental Excellence Awards Celebration on Nov. 17.

Keep Oklahoma Beautiful is a statewide nonprofit that aims to empower Oklahoma citizens to preserve and enhance the state’s natural beauty and ensure a healthy, sustainable environment.

For more information about KOB, Paint Oklahoma Beautiful, and the sponsors of this program, visit: www.keepoklahomabeautiful.com.