About Us

Who makes Keep Keith County Beautiful

Dedicated to Environmental Stewardship

Keep Keith County Beautiful is fortunate to enlist volunteers who work hard, engage in our message and live our message of a clean, green, beautiful community starts with us.

Our Board of Directors is made up of local concerned and active members of the community who give of their time and talent to assist our organization. From a banker to an environmental biologist, KKCB’s board embodies the spirit of KKCB.

Our History

The organization’s roots stem from Make Ogallala Beautiful, which began in 1981 in Keith County.

Keep Keith County Beautiful  started  under the city of Ogallala, NE with two coordinators employed by the organization. Then in 1999 we became an affiliated with Keep America Beautiful , becoming one of the first Nebraska locations. KKCB began to grow so in the early 1990’s we changed the name Make Ogallala/ Keith County Beautiful. 

From the beginning the individuals involved in Make Ogallala/ Keith County Beautiful were forward thinking innovators. In 1994 the painting of the slab which memorializes the slogan, “Leave only your FOOTPRINTS, please!” was implemented, through cooperation with Nebraska Game and Parks Commision. To this day, the slab stands a strong reminder of our environmental responsibility to the area. KKCB, through a grant from Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District repainted the slab in 2016. 

In 1993 Make Ogallala/ Keith County Beautiful moved to the Ogallala Keith County Chamber of Commerce and became Keith County Beautiful.  The organization and its board of directors set the formation for the current business of Keep Keith County Beautiful. Then in 2017 KKCB became a non-profit corporation with a governing board of directors and an executive director. 

Funding to KKCB is derived from various sources, however, the primary source of its revenue is the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE) and the Nebraska Environmental Trust(NET).  

100%
Of our programs is funded by grants and donations.
180
Members of the Beach Crew and growing.
66%
Of our community are actively recycling.
6 HR
Average time one person will volunteer over a year.
3.4
Million plastic bottles and can collected.
28
National Awards

Our Team

Christine Vail

Executive Director

Miranda Keiwatt

Education Coordinator

Board of Directors

Rod Ruzanic

Board President
Owner- Wolf Landscape Design

Laura Sexson

Board Vice President- Owner Ogallala Tour and Travel

Sabrina Canning

Office Manager -Waste Conncections

Gail Schrieter

Adams Bank & Trust

Daryl Cisney

Retired Grass land Management- KNB Board Member

Jerri Cole

Volunteer of the Year -Member since 1981 Retired - Pinnacle Bank​

Cherry Schriner

Member since 1984

Sally Harrington

Member since 1984 Retired –CFO American Suzuki Corp

Patty Nordhausen

Member since 2018 Ogallala Campus Administrator- Mid Plains Community College​

Joan Ervin

Ex-officio for Keith County, Keith County Commissioner- 2019-present

Chris Laflan

Ex-officio for The City of Ogallala 2022

Help us, get involved!

Whether you are just visiting the lake or are local we are always looking for volunteers.