Previous Events

 What a joyful day!  Over two hundred fifty folks came out for our April 19th Earth Day Party in the Antioch Discovery Garden.  Smiles, music, laughter, learning, conversations - the community...

On Monday, March 23 our Resource Center launched a Tool Lending Library for neighborhood residents.  Assistant Administrator Tara McDaniel worked hard  preparing this community resource.  We have...

Climate League Outreach Director Herbert McGill teamed up with students from the Future School of Fort Smith in mid March to work on constructing a three bin composting system in the Antioch...

Our staff had a great time talking with attendees at the Tenth Arkansas Environmental Policy Summit about our grassroots work on 2/20/2026.   We loved being part of the collaborative Summit planning...

We brought our love of wind energy, kites and solar systems to the fantastic Darby Middle School Celebration of Community Connections on September 20. It was great fun to see the kites up in the...

We were wonderfully overwhelmed by the outpouring of community spirit and friendship at our Arkansas Climate League  Autumn Vibes Garden Party on Sunday, October 5th.  Thank you to all who...

Outreach Director Herbert McGill and his team of volunteers have been tending the raised beds, managing the adopt-a-spots, and prepping more ground for planting, as part of the Climate League's...

We were delighted to welcome more than 40 new and old friends to our cheesecake social at the historic The Clayton House in Fort Smith on Sunday 9/7.  Thank you to all who joined us to learn about...

Thank you, Fort Smith Round Table for having us at your Juneteenth Celebration! Juneteenth marks June 19, 1865, the day when the last enslaved people were freed in Galveston, Texas. At the Arkansas...

We were honored to welcome Mayor George McGill of Fort Smith to our Resource Center on 5/23/2025.  Our Center office is located within the Elizabeth McGill Drop-In Center at 521 N. 6th St., Fort...

On the morning of April 22nd Climate League Assistant Administrator Tara McDaniel and Resource Center Manager Jerminic Knauls arrived at Antioch for Youth & Family for Anitoch's USDA food...

On Thursday, April 17, we teamed up with Fort Smith's Howard Elementary School for a fun-filled event: the Egg Charge and Garden Adventure.  This exciting day was made possible through the...

We’re thrilled to sponsor a community dinner at Fort Smith’s McGill Center from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. on April 15th.  McGill Center Director and Climate League Outreach Leader Herbert McGill will be...

We are delighted to announce that the Arkansas Climate League's People Power Team is one of the Community Energy Innovation Prize Concept Phase Winners. Our project - People Power: Energy Security |...

We're thrilled!  On Sunday February 4th dozens of folks stopped by the Elizabeth McGill Drop-In Center in Fort Smith for the celebratory opening of the Arkansas Climate League Resource...

We love our donors. Their vision and generosity has enabled us to reach a longstanding goal of hiring a Fort Smith Outreach Leader.  Please join us in welcoming Herbie McGill to this part-time role,...

So many smiles!  Wind and whimsy!  Saturday September 16th a trio of Climate League Board members (Shelley Buonaiuto, Jo Elsken and Herbie McGill) set up a kite-creation table at  Celebration of...

 The Arkansas climate movement has gained two highly skilled, dynamic climate advocates!  In mid June Shannie Jackson of Conway (left) and Shannon Farhat of Barling (right) attended the two-day...

The Arkansas Climate League is delighted to announce that Jo Elsken and Corey White have joined the Arkansas Climate League Board.  These two dynamic individuals share a passion for expanding green...

On May 19, we returned to Fort Smith's Elizabeth McGill Center to host another Community Luncheon. It was a lively and informative event! Thirty or so local residents, including Climate League...

Arkansas Climate League volunteers handed out weatherization and energy bill assistance information at Fort Smith's May 7th Cinco De Mayo Festival. Held at Fort Smith park, the community gathering...

Collaborations build allies and deliver results. For the second year in a row, The Climate League joined other Arkansas environmental and policy organizations in putting on the Arkansas Environmental Policy Summit. In addition to being involved in foundational planning and sharing in logistical expenses, The Climate League collaborated on organizing two breakout panels: “The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022” and “Climate and Public Health”. Throughout the planning process,, we proceeded with an eye to highlighting issues and opportunities relevant to low-income families and struggling Arkansas communities and diversifying the core planning team and panelists.

On October 20 nearly seventy Arkansans filled the UAFS Economic Development Center for a day of learning and networking at our River Valley Green Energy and Education Workshop. Topics included: the expansion of solar in Arkansas, energy insecurity in the River Valley, home weatherization, financing solar energy, community solar and more.

In late August Ozarks At Large host Kyle Kellams’ sat down with Climate League Board Members Paulette Meikle and Robert McAfee, along with Herbert McGill (Director of Fort Smith’s McGill Center), and Dr. Latisha Settlage (Dean of the UAFS School of Business and Industry).

A healthy climate takes many forms. In early 2022, Onie Norman, a longtime community organizer and friend of The Climate League, told us about her intention to secure playground equipment for a park in her Dumas neighborhood, a community resource she’s been nurturing for years. The park is a welcoming green space featuring large trees and a few benches. It is owned by the local Youth Improvement Club (YIC) and is adjacent to an elementary school, which does not have an adequate playground for the students – most of whom are African American.

The Climate League is on the forefront of fostering climate change education and clean energy conversations in Arkansas communities often left out of these vital discussions. On Friday, June 17th, we sponsored the monthly community luncheon at Fort Smith’s McGill Center. The gathering drew together neighborhood residents and League volunteers. The shared meal created openings for exchanging personal stories and local concerns and aspirations.

On Wednesday, November 17, 2021 The Climate League hosted an online discussion focussed on the why, what and how of climate justice and the shift away from fossil fuels. Panelist Dr. Paulette Meikle (UAFS Fort Smith Associate Dean/League Board Member), Joanna Person-Michener (Arkansas licensed climate-informed therapist ) and Shelley Buonaiuto (Artist/League Board Member) anchored the discussion and took questions from the zoom audience.

The League was delighted to partner with the Arkansas Public Policy Panel, Audubon Delta, and the Arkansas Chapter of the Sierra Club on the 6th Annual Arkansas Environmental Policy Summit. Due to lingering pandemic concerns the Summit was held online on Friday, November 5th.

The Arkansas Citizens’ Climate League hosted a virtual Earth Day panel discussion titled “Taking Care of the Earth, Each Other, and Ourselves” from April 22, 2020 (Earth Day) via Zoom.

In January 2020 Climate League board members and staff showed up to support Citizens’ Climate Education volunteers who delivered an interactive climate presentation to the Public Policy Panel’s lead grassroots organizers. The organizers arrived from communities across south Arkansas for a gathering in Monticello.