On Earth Day, April 22, 2010, the Professional Landcare Network (PLANET) conducted its Second Annual PLANET Day of Service. The event is a grassroots effort that encourages individual members, supplier members, and state associations to create volunteer lawn care and landscape projects in their own communities.
More than 3,000 volunteers participated in more than 200 projects from a total of 38 states and Canada. Those projects included landscaping elementary schools, city parks, court houses, libraries, baseball fields, playgrounds, and senior citizen homes and creating vegetable gardens.
Patients at local hospitals were also beneficiaries of the PLANET Day of Service. The BC Landscape & Nursery Association (BCLNA), one of the state association partners for Day of Service, organized a project with local Canadian landscaping companies, including Beneath Your Feet Landscaping, to renovate the grounds of the Ridge Meadows Hospice Society’s Bailey House and McKinney Creek residences in Maple Ridge, Canada.
“Like most nonprofit organizations, the BC Landscape & Nursery Association has grown and thrived through the good deeds and camaraderie of our members. So, when the folks at Beneath Your Feet Landscaping decided to round up colleagues in their town to take part in PLANET Day of Service, we were thrilled, but not exactly surprised. It’s amazing to have BCLNA members, who do so much for their industry, extend their volunteerism to the community during the busiest time of the year. I think it speaks to the sort of people this industry attracts, people who care deeply about their natural and social environments. We’re grateful to PLANET for initiating a movement that underscores what the green industry is all about.” said Renata Triveri, interim managing director of BCLNA.
PLANET Day of Service sponsors played a big role in supporting and participating in Day of Service. There were a total of five lead sponsors and 23 supporting sponsors. Matt Moskowitz of American Profit Recovery, a lead sponsor, said, “Once again, I am amazed and proud to be part of such a great event. American Profit Recovery continues to look for ways to give back, and the PLANET Day of Service is one phenomenal event that we take pride in sponsoring. A great event for a great industry!”
The Lead Sponsors for the 2010 PLANET Day of Service were Agrium Advanced Technologies, American Profit Recovery, John Deere, Lawns by Yorkshire and Shindaiwa.
