GreenCare Volunteer Receives Award

Brad Borders writes: Joe Keller, Keller’­s Lawn Service, is holding the highest Award ever given to a lawn care business for services rendered to an Army Chaplain and his family–he took care of my yard while I was in Iraq–what a blessing!

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Letter From the Military

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GreenCare for Troops Story: The Beyer’s

Cheryl Beyer’s husband has been in Iraq serving his country since February 2009. It wasn’t until this summer that Cheryl discovered just how much work Dale did around the house, including the landscape maintenance. Cheryl tried to keep up with the maintenance of the house and the children, but the landscaping was too much. As a military wife, she was familiar with a similar GreenCare For Troops project completed for Major Aaron Filter’s home in Janesville in 2008 that K & W Greenery undertook.

After receiving word that there was another military family seeking landscape assistance, WGIF Executive Director Brian Swingle met with Mrs. Beyer and walked the property. After taking note of the maintenance needs, Brian sent an e-mail alert to WGIF members listing the work that needed to be done on the property, including some tree removal and trimming work.

First on the scene was Andy Kurth of Weedman Lawncare in Middleton and Beloit, to treat a malnourished and weedy lawn. While performing the work, Andy and Cheryl were interviewed by the local newspaper and were mentioned on the local WCLO morning radio show with Stan Milam. The Janesville Gazette also gave the efforts of local landscape professionals a “thumbs up” in their weekly Opinion page.

Local Janesville area arborists from L.P. Tree Service & The D.W.G., members of the Wisconsin Arborist Association, removed an Austrian pine and pruned ash, birch, crabapples, and maples at the residence. David Graham and Dean Zuck of the DWG Co., and L.P. Tree Service’s Cory Gritzmacher, Chris & Jon Ranum, Garrik Harwick, Steve Lear and Ty Buschemi all contributed to the project.

Following the large and tall tree work, Erin Mauer of Lied’s Nursery and Landscape of Sussex made the drive all the way from Sussex, Wisconsin to meet with Mrs. Beyer and plan the rest of the work to be performed.

“Rob (Lied) said, ‘do what needs to be done’ when I told him about the opportunity,” explained Erin.

Shortly thereafter, Lied’s personnel including foreman James (Jimmy) Maruska, crewmembers Frank Mantanona and Garrett Dieball, and supervisors Joel Hollrith and Gary Gray handled a long list of work, including installing a new mailbox and post to replace the existing one which was rotting off its base. The crew also pruned shrubs in beds around house, removed dead shrubs, cut back perennials, removed excessive weed barrier around plant crowns, sprayed weeds in beds, cleaned accessible first story gutters, cleaned yard of debris and leaf litter, top dressed beds (front and side yards) with stone mulch, removed debris and weed barrier in mailbox bed and restored area to turf (sod), and placed a fall color potted planting at the front entrance.

After the work was completed in October, Mrs. Beyer told WGIF, “I have been in touch with my husband and have sent him some pictures. We are truly grateful for all the help. Words can’t express it all. The kids have stated the yard looks bigger. They are very happy and thankful too. Thank you. ”

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