Project EverGreen announced several upcoming programs and partnerships at an executive committee meeting held March 30-31 in Cleveland:
· This summer marks the beginning of a pilot program with the Twin Cities Chapter of Habitat for Humanity (the fifth-largest U.S. chapter) to provide landscape, lawn care and irrigation services for up to five homes.
· A new probable partner of Project EverGreen, America in Bloom, is a nonprofit, volunteer organization dedicated to "Planting pride in our Communities" through an annual contest, awarding communities and institutions that work to beautify the country. Project EverGreen expects to take part in the 2005 awards ceremony and work with the 2006 program.
· The “Project EverGreen: Because Green Matters” award program was created to recognize groups who create landscape projects that benefit green spaces. The first award will be presented on Earth Day, April 22.
· “Who’s Telling Your Story?” – the new Project EverGreen advertising campaign for the Green Industry will debut in May in trade publications.
· A series of best management practices articles on irrigation, equipment, fertilization and pesticide use have been developed and will be distributed to weekly and daily newspapers throughout the country.
· Currently in the preliminary stages of development, a soccer field renovation project will be implemented in Raleigh, N.C. Project EverGreen hopes that this model will serve as a blueprint for other community-based projects in the future.
· A $500 reward has been offered by Project EverGreen for information on the vandals who destroyed more than two dozen trees in the Medina, Ohio area over the past two months. The Project EverGreen donation raised the total reward to $1,500. Since mid-February, 29 trees have been destroyed after being sawed halfway through, then pushed down or allowed to fall.
Project EverGreen’s mission is to raise the awareness of the environmental, economic and lifestyle benefits of landscapes and promote the significance of those who preserve and enhance green spaces at home, work and play. This nonprofit organization is an alliance of green industry service (end-user) providers, associations, suppliers/distributors, media companies and other organizations.