Choctaw Nation Going Green

Choctaw Nation Going Green, McAlester Recycling Effort Earns Honors

DURANT – Choctaw Nation Going Green has been selected Community Partner of the Year In McAlester. Pride of the Year in McAlester is recognizing the program in McAlester’s 8th Annual Volunteer Appreciation Banquet on Feb. 16.

Choctaw Nation Going Green is the recycling arm of the Choctaw Nation. Pride In McAlester and City of McAlester cited the program as having “continuously been a resource efforts. Choctaw Nation Going Green relentlessly works to generate recycling opportunities for citizens and serves as advisors in the pursuit of sustainability for our region.”

Tracy Horst, who had acted as the Choctaw Nation’s Director of Environmental Sustainability until stepping up to the position of Program Director of Natural Resources this year, said, “The Choctaw Nation has worked in McAlester for the past six years setting up recycling drop-offs in various areas. We also began working with Will Rogers Elementary School which has a recycling project that’s been going very well.”

Choctaw Nation Going Green also works on a joint venture with McAlester and Ki Bois Developmental Disabilities, a Community Action program. Ki Bois provides employment for mentally challenged young men to collect and hand-sort plastic and paper products to recycle. Once collected and sorted, the McAlester recycle materials arrive in Durant. Choctaw Nation Going Green operates two recycling centers, one in Durant and another in Poteau. This partnership with the Choctaw Nation has been going on since June 2011, Horst noted.

Along with the Community Partner of the Year Award to Choctaw Nation Going Green, other honors to be presented at the event include Volunteers of the Year, the Spirit Award, the Community Sustainability Award, and Outstanding Student.

The 8th Annual Volunteer Appreciation Banquet will begin at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb 16, at the McAlester Country Club. The event will feature live music, dinner, a silent auction, and more. It is open to the public. Tickets are $25 per person and available until Feb. 10 by calling the Pride In McAlester office at 918-426-4444.