January 17, 2011 - Project EverGreen Teams with Syngenta and Nature's Select Turf Services to Donate Landscaping to Greensboro's Historic Green Hill Cemetery

Project EverGreen recently partnered with Greensboro-based Syngenta Lawn & Garden group, Nature's Select Premium Turf Services, the City Parks & Rec Department and Friends of Green Hill Cemetery, to donate funds, nursery stock, equipment, employees and volunteers to renovate entries and terraced area landscapes at Green Hill Cemetery, a 120-year old historic and cultural Greensboro landmark.

After several months of planning and coordination by Project EverGreen, with a landscape design donated by Doug Spencer, AIA, roughly 30 Friends of Green Hill Cemetery, Syngenta and Nature's Select volunteers gathered with shovels and rakes to help install crepe myrtles, camellias, shrubs and groundcover plants, plus sod, mulch and gravel. Two main entries and a terraced area were landscaped where new Green Hill Cemetery signs will be placed by the City of Greensboro.

"All of the volunteers from these five organizations hope this lovely transformation provides visual pleasure for many years to come," said Ann Stringfield, a board member of the Friends of Green Hill Cemetery.

Project EverGreen is a non-profit alliance of individuals, green industry associations, companies and professional volunteers, dedicated to educating the public about the environmental, economic and lifestyle benefits of healthy lawns, landscapes, parks, athletic fields and golf courses. "Coordinating with Syngenta, Nature's Select, the City of Greensboro and Friends of Green Hill Cemetery is one way we organize local company donors to help meet community needs," stated Michael Joyce, of Project EverGreen in NC.

Syngenta Lawn & Garden, a leading supplier of products and services to the green industry, donated the funds to underwrite the costs of the nursery stock and materials installed at Green Hill. "Syngenta actively supports Project EverGreen in this community effort," said Margaret Bell, senior marketing communications manager at Syngenta, who also serves as a green industry advisor and executive committee member of Project EverGreen.

Sherry Duvall Ford, head of community engagement at Syngenta, volunteered at the Green Hill Cemetery landscaping day. "We're bringing plant potential to life in our communities with projects like these," she added. "Syngenta is proud to be a part of maintaining this important green space."

Nature's Select Premium Turf Services in Winston-Salem provided pro bono professional landscape preparation, equipment and crews and acquired the plants donated to the Green Hill restoration. "Part of our mission is to preserve community green spaces and the environment, and helping renovate Green Hill Cemetery is one way we're glad to help," noted Bill Hildebolt and Gene Queen, owners of Nature's Select.

Mike Moye, cemeteries superintendent at the Greensboro Parks & Recreation Department, donated his time and guidance throughout the renovation planning to insure compliance with the City's cemetery maintenance standards." It's good to receive this kind of donation, contributing to a healthy, green space environment and helping give Green Hill the appearance and maintenance it deserves, " Moye indicated.

January 10, 2011 - GreenCare for Troops and Turftenders in Raleigh Donate Landscape Services to NC Military Families

Like every other household chore, maintaining a lawn and landscape becomes a challenge when a family member is on active duty with the military. To help, Project EverGreen, an alliance of green industry associations, companies and volunteers, created GreenCare for Troops, a nationwide outreach program that coordinates with participating lawn care firms to provide free lawn and landscape maintenance for local military families in need. GreenCare for Troops now includes over 10,000 families and over 3,000 professional lawn care company volunteers nationwide.

In North Carolina, Project EverGreen has partnered with Turftenders Landscape Services in Raleigh, a leading local professional lawn care service whose employees gladly donate their time and skills to support a number of military families at no cost in FT. Bragg/Fayetteville area and Triangle communities. "In addition to enhancing the environment and beautifying community green spaces, providing pro bono professional lawn care services to military families is an important part of our mission" according to Steve Hill, president of Turftenders. "It's one small way we will continue to give back to troops who are risking their lives to keep us secure, as well as to their families in difficult times," Hill noted.

One of the North Carolina military families served by Turftenders and GreenCare for Troops is Sgt. Justin Wilhite and his wife, Rachael, of Holly Springs. Justin is a Sergeant in the Army National Guard assigned as a Combat Engineer, and a 10 year veteran who served in Iraq in 2006-07 and in Kandehar, Afghanistan, returning home in late 2010. "It's definitely a positive thing, especially since I couldn't be home taking care of the property, and didn't have to leave it to my wife," Wilhite stated. "It's always appreciated that someone recognizes the sacrifice of military families, and does it out of the kindness of their heart, not looking for anything in return," he said.

Justin's wife Rachael added: "It's a small thing, but it made a big difference. I could never do everything at once, and it's hard to find time to mow a lawn while juggling our two young children and a dog. Thanks to Turftenders, it was just like Justin was taking care of it, even though he was away at the time."

Project EverGreen assisted Turftenders' efforts by coordinating with Bayer Environmental Science in Research Triangle Park, who donated a dedicated GreenCare for Troops equipment trailer, to be customized by Turftenders. In addition, Project EverGreen helped secure lawn maintenance equipment loaned for Turftenders' GreenCare for Troops activities, including Toro and Walker mowers, and blowers, edgers and trimmers from Husqvarna in Charlotte.

Project EverGreen is a non-profit alliance of green industry associations, companies and professional volunteers, dedicated to educating the public about the environmental, economic and lifestyle benefits of healthy lawns, landscapes, parks, athletic fields and golf courses. Project EverGreen's mission is to preserve and enhance green space in our communities for today and future generations. "Coordinating with green industry corporate donors and local professional lawn care companies is one of the ways we help meet community needs," stated Michael Joyce, of Project EverGreen in NC.

8-23-2010: Arysta LifeScience, partnering with United Way of the Greater Triangle, Project EverGreen, and the City of Raleigh, announced their joint donations of employees and services to renovate the outdoor landscape, and provide a natural gathering area at Haven House Youth Services Center, a United Way partner agency in Raleigh.

Haven House Services is a non-profit agency helping at-risk young people and their families develop positive, successful relationships at home, at school, and in the community. "The new area really is so much more pleasant to see. We now have a quiet place for our young people to meditate on benches surrounded by beautiful flowers, to collect their thoughts...a treasure for the population we serve. Arysta LifeScience volunteer efforts have made a tangible difference," says Sherita Young, Haven House Program Coordinator.

Project EverGreen is a national, non-profit alliance of green care industry professional associations and companies, including Arysta LifeScience, who are dedicated to educating the public about the environmental, economic and lifestyle benefits of healthy lawns and landscaped green spaces.

Arysta LifeScience North America, serving the Turf & Ornamental and Agricultural markets, is headquartered in Cary, employing approximately 70 people at this location. Several of their employees and spouses volunteered their time to enhance the outdoor living space and prepare an outdoor sitting area, providing an open, safe space for Haven House clients and employees. The workday was coordinated by Arysta LifeScience to support local efforts of United Way of the Greater Triangle, Project EverGreen, and the City of Raleigh Yard Waste Services, who donated a truckload of mulch to beautify the space.

"Arysta LifeScience enthusiastically supports Project EverGreen and the United Way in this community effort," said Annetta Johnson, Head of Human Resources for Arysta LifeScience North America.  "Our core values include contributing to society and the environment, so we're pleased to help create a green space for Haven House here in our local community," Johnson added.

United Way of the Greater Triangle connected Arysta LifeScience with Haven House as a United Way agency partner. "Having youth succeed in school and in life is a key component of our Wake County Community Action Plan," according to Ed Brennan, Relations Manager at United Way. "Participating in the Haven House renovation with Arysta LifeScience is an example of how we mobilize with our corporate donors to help meet community needs," Brennan said.

Edward Wright, Manager of The Yard Waste Center for City of Raleigh Solid Waste Services, donated and delivered the mulch necessary to complete the landscape. "It's just good for us at the City of Raleigh to contribute to a healthy, green environment at Haven House and help support some of our youth to get back on the right track," Wright indicated.

5-13-2010: Winston-Salem, Greensboro and Durham Mayors Declare May 'Project EverGreen Month'

Project EverGreen is coming to North Carolina and the Mayors of Winston-Salem, Greensboro and Durham are officially proclaiming the month of May to be "Project EverGreen Month". May 1st marked the official start of the national non-profit service organization's NC public education program to inspire citizens, businesses and developers to increase the number of well- maintained green spaces throughout the area, including residential and commercial landscapes, community and commercial spaces, golf courses, parks and sports fields.

EverGreen Zones are currently underway in Akron, OH, and Milwaukee, WI. Project EverGreen plans to add more cities annually. The purpose of the EverGreen Zone program is to raise public awareness about the benefits of expanding, preserving, and maintaining green spaces that positively impact climate change and create countless economic, environmental and lifestyle benefits.

Project EverGreen volunteers are championing urban green spaces and expect to renovate blighted green spaces along the I-40 Corridor (including Raleigh, Durham, Cary, Greensboro, High Point, Winston-Salem) in 2010. The organization will pass out educational literature, seed packets and other promotional items at community events and place educational yard signs and posters at designated community events and green spaces. To sign up as a volunteer or to recommend a green space you would like to see receive attention, please contact Michael Joyce at 336-327-6868 or email: mjoyce2@triad.rr.com.

Project EverGreen is also teaming up with many local schools this fall for the Art of Green Spaces Competition. The competition's goal is to encourage students, kindergarten through twelfth grade, to create visual art, vocal and instrumental music, as well as dance and drama exhibits demonstrating why they believe green spaces are important to cities and towns along the I-40 Corridor. Winners of the youth art competition will have their work recognized at an awards ceremony and displayed in prominent public locations. For more information about the Art of Green Spaces Competition, please call the NC Project EverGreen representative, Michael Joyce at 336.327.6868.

Click Here to Download the Winston-Salem, Greensboro, and Durham Proclamations