The National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP) named its 2019 Community Partnership award recipients.
The Community Partnership award is presented to companies that are actively engaged in community outreach and demonstrate leadership in helping restore or revive communities, according to NALP.
The two honorees this year include Grunder Landscaping Co., Miamisburg, Ohio, and Ruppert Landscape, Laytonsville, Md.
LM Columnist Marty Grunder is president and CEO of the company, which prides itself on having community service as an integral part of the cultural.
This past year, several tornadoes caused destruction in Harrison Township, an area the company services. The entire company assisted in the cleanup of the area, removing over 250 cubic yards of debris.
“Our entire company took an afternoon and went to three different streets to help with the cleanup of the debris,” Grunder told NALP. “Many residents just didn’t understand how we could do that. They asked if we were being paid by the county or the city and were shocked to find out we just wanted to help.”
Grunder Landscaping also supports organizations such as the Humane Society of Greater Dayton, Artemis Center for Domestic Violence, Upper Valley Career Center, The Victoria Theatre/Schuster Center for the Performing Arts, local schools and athletic teams and the United Way.
Grunder told NALP the company typically spends about $30,000 on community service projects every year.
The other award recipient, Ruppert Landscape, typically commits more than 5,000 hours each year to community service projects. Throughout the company’s 40-year history, Ruppert has given more than $5 million dollars and helped thousands of causes. The company tackles large-scale community service projects with dedicated Field Days.
In 2019, more than 100 employees from a few of the company’s branches worked with parishioners to transform the grounds of Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Stone Mountain, Ga. In total, over 800 man-hours and approximately $100,000 was involved in making this project a reality, according to NALP.
The company also performs cleanups, enhancements and installation projects. HeroHomes, the Ronald McDonald House and the Armed Forces Retirement Home are only a few that Ruppert has donated skills, material and time.
Winners from 2018 included LandCare, MasterScapes and TruGreen. Learn more about last’s year’s award winners here.
Visit NALP’s website to learn how to submit a nomination for the 2020 Community Partnership award.
