As spring is blooming, people rapidly scramble to get their lawns in shape for warmer weather. It's the busiest time of the year for Bill Gundlach, owner of Spring-Green Lawn Care for over 25 years in Cicero, Ill., but the seasoned veteran has more concerns for summer than sales and revenues. For the past five years Gundlach and his company have been one of the sponsors for the local Relay for Life event that benefits the American Cancer Society. This year, the walk-a-thon took place on June 13 and 14. When representatives for the charity first came to the Cicero Spring-Green offices in 1998, Gundlach's long time receptionist Gayle Nett, a cancer survivor, greeted them. ?EUR??,,????'??We were all very aware of the need for the charity because of Gale,?EUR??,,????'?? Gundlach says. So when the ACS representatives came cold calling for this new Relay For Life event, Spring-Green signed up right away. ?EUR??,,????'??At first it was just going to be a few employees participating but then we decided to have our own team. More employees started to come out to the event and bring their families,?EUR??,,????'?? Gundlach explains. The relay is an all-night event in which teams of 10 must have one member walking on a determined path at all times. Along the nighttime course are luminaries with the name of a cancer survivor on each one. Teams raise money by selling these luminaries to friends and families of cancer victims and survivors. At sunset before the event begins, the names on every luminary are read at a special ceremony. Throughout the night, teams keep a member on the track while the others either catch some sleep or eat a snack. It is a festive atmosphere despite the serious nature of the cause. In its short history the relay has spread to other neighboring towns but the West Cook Relay remains one of the largest, raising close to $200,000 during last year's event. Gundlach inserts a flier in each mailer his company sends out for spring services. ?EUR??,,????'??It's our most popular application and our clients really respond,?EUR??,,????'?? Gundlach says. Last year the company placed third in the relay and raised around $7,000; as always the company seeks to raise more money each year. Of course Gundlach is also gearing up for the summer season. Spring-Green Lawn Care offers a variety of services to provide attractive ?EUR??,,????'??curb appeal?EUR??,,????'?? to commercial and residential clients, including lawn fertilization and weed control, lawn disease and insect control, tree and shrub insect and disease control, and ornamental bed weed control. ?EUR??,,????'??This is just a great place to be in business,?EUR??,,????'?? Gundlach says of his Cicero location. ?EUR??,,????'??Even though it's gotten much more competitive, we haven't lost any business. The market just seems to be there and once the weather breaks it gets real busy.?EUR??,,????'?? Gundlach's credo is ?EUR??,,????'??great results every time?EUR??,,????'?? and after 25 years he seems to have quality control operating at peak efficiency. The often-overused phrase ?EUR??,,????'??giving back to the community?EUR??,,????'?? seems to have come to the Spring Green office quite naturally for Gundlach. ?EUR??,,????'??Besides the fact that they're (the local offices of the American Cancer Society) right down the street, helping with the Relay just seemed like a natural thing for us to do. It was just something we thought we should do.?EUR??,,????'??