2007 Matching Grant Winners

Congratulations to the winners of Color Oklahoma’s 2007 matching grants for adding native wildflowers along Oklahoma highways. This year’s applications were outstanding. We encourage more groups, businesses, organizations and individuals to apply next year.

Color Oklahoma will match up to $500 from each winner. Crews with the Oklahoma Department of Transportation will sow the seeds in the fall for blooms next spring and summer.

Winners are:

Williams Landscape of Randlett; Brandon Miller with the Muskogee County 4-H, Ardmore Beautification Council, Cameron University Biology Club, City of Weatherford, Susan Hill and Jeannie Ho Coley of Norman, and the Oklahoma City University Department of Biology.

 Craig Williams of Williams Landscape wants to make a visual impact statement for all who enter Oklahoma from the south.  The two-acre site he chose is highly visible from Interstate 44 and Oklahoma 70. He chose to plant Indian Blanket, Indian Paintbrush and Tickseed.

Miller chose the intersection of Highways 62 and 165. During Oklahoma’s centennial celebration, he believes it is especially important to plant wildflowers and help re-establish native wildflower species for generations to come. He chose a two-acre site for Black-eyed Susan, Indian Blanket, Indian Paintbrush, Plains Coreopsis, Prairie Coneflower and Tickseed.

Norma-Lynn Paschall, executive director of the Ardmore Beautification Council, said wildflowers between Interstate 35 and Scenic 77 will be a wonderful tourist attraction at the gateway to Lakes Murray and Texoma. The Council has raised $6,500 to sow six varieties of wildflowers on nine acres. Color Oklahoma is matching money for the purchase of Indian Blanket.

Dr. Michael Dunn represents the Biology Club at Cameron University. The club is proud of its community and university and chose a three-acre site at the gateway to Lawton near a Cameron University billboard. The site is eight miles north of Lawton between the Highway 281 entrance to westbound I-44 and the Highway 49 exit. The Biology Club chose Indian Blanket, Tickseed and Purple Coneflower.

Mayor Mike Brown of Weatherford wants to improve the appearance of a high visibility area along Interstate 40 and reduce the cost for ODOT to maintain the grassland. The city’s Parks and Recreation Department will help water and maintain the plants until they are self-sufficient. The one-acre site is east of the city near the I-40 west on-ramp. The city chose Black-eyed Susan, Clasping Coneflower, Indian Blanket, Indian Paintbrush, Lazy Daisy, Lemon Mint, Missouri Primrose, Plains Coreopsis, Prairie Coneflower, Purple Coneflower, Showy Primrose and Tickseed.

Susan Hill and Master Gardener Jeannie Ho Coley want the thousands of people who travel Highway 9 every day to enjoy the colorful beauty and variety of Oklahoma’s native wildflowers. The one-acre site they chose is between Imhoff Road and McGee Drive and is close to Interstate 35. They chose Black-eyed Susan, Indian Blanket, Indian Paintbrush, Lazy Daisy, Prairie Coneflower, Showy Primrose, Tickseed and Purple Coneflower.

Dr. Terry Conley of OCU wants to provide a reservoir of native wildflower species to spread from Highway 152 near South Council Road to an adjacent disturbed portion of OCU property.  This part of the property was most likely prairie prior to settlement and the long-range plan is to allow it to return to its native state. Highway 152 is heavily traveled and the roadside near Council Road is highly visible. The two-acre site will be planted with Black-eyed Susan, Clasping Coneflower, Lemon Mint, Plains Coreopsis, Prairie Coneflower, Showy Primrose, Indian Paintbrush, Indian Blanket, and Lazy Daisy.

2006 Matching Grant Winners

Color Oklahoma’s new matching grant program was a great success in 2006. We received more than a dozen applications and look forward to receiving more this year.

Last year, we awarded matching grants of up to $500 to Riverfield Country Day School in Tulsa, Let Turley Bloom in Tulsa County, Choctaw County Arts Council and Iris Garden Club, the City of Edmond, Hennessey 2010 Beautification Committee, Piedmont Kiwanis Club and Lawton Beautiful.

The Beautification Office of the state Department of Transportation planted the seeds in the fall for spring and summer blooms.

Again this year, Color Oklahoma will match up to a total of $3,000 in grant requests. We will provide $300 to $500 for each qualified applicant.  For example, if $500 is raised locally, we will match that with $500 for a total of $1,000 for wildflower plantings. 

The application deadline is May 1. The program applies only to state highway rights-of-way. Eligible applicants include nonprofit groups, businesses, schools and universities, individuals, Indian Nations, civic groups and governmental entities.

Color Oklahoma committee members and experts from ODOT’s Beautification Office will help winners with the application, seed selection and purchase. Grants can be used for the purchase of native wildflower seeds only.

Officials with ODOT’s Beautification Office will answer questions about site selection, wildflower species best suited for various parts of the state and seed costs. They may be reached at (405) 521-4037 or beauty@odot.org.