Ron Chiles, a volunteer with Keep Oklahoma Beautiful Affiliate OKC Beautiful, is being honored in the Keep Oklahoma Beautiful “Volunteer Spotlight” during August.

Since 2001, when OKC Beautiful’s “Litter Blitz” began, Ron has been leading a group of approximately 40 volunteers who collect 130 bags of trash annually across 150 square miles. Taking into account that an average bag of litter weighs 20 pounds, Ron and his volunteers have collected 23,400 pounds of litter over the past 9 years. “Ron is always upbeat and undaunted by the size of the project in front of him,” remarked OKC Beautiful Program Manager Nicki Largent.

Aside from volunteering with OKC Beautiful, Ron is the president of the Green Pastures Progressive Community Association. This past year, the association collected 125 bags of trash and aided in the removal of 36 illegal dumpsites. In 2008, this group of highly motivated volunteers conducted a tire clean up campaign that resulted in 3,000 tires being collected.

Would you like to nominate someone from your organization? All we need is a brief description of the nominee’s work (250 words or less) and at least one head and shoulders photograph. Nominations will be accepted only online and that process can start by clicking here.

Volunteers from the Green Pastures Progressive Community Association during the 2010 Great American Cleanup