The landscape industry is often recognized for donating time, talents and more to worthy causes. Landscape Contractor DBM features a story of pro bono work by contractors in every issue. Here are some examples of other sectors of the industry giving back.

The National Mall, called America's front yard, is undergoing a major facelift and John Deere is playing an integral part with a $400,000 donation of grounds care equipment and attachments that will be used to restore and maintain the turf and grounds.

 

Michael Giese, a customer service representative at irrigation manufacturer Netafim USA in Fresno, Calif., led a company-wide campaign to prepare morale packs for troops at Forward Operating Base Wright in Asadabad, Afghanistan. His fellow employees and local sponsors gathered hundreds of pounds of popular snacks, healthcare supplies, books, magazines, sporting goods, notebooks and more, and packed them in large cartons, which Giese mailed out. Along with the supplies were 80 hand-written letters from students at Easterby Elementary School in Fresno.

Edmond, Okla. detective Tom Evans saw a need in Moore right after the devastating tornadoes this past spring and recruited Pelco Products, a provider of hardscaping, street signage, site furniture and amenities, as well as Cargill Meat Solutions, Kingsford Charcoal, Pepsi, Frito Lay and Walmart to put on a three-day barbecue during which 7,200 free hamburgers were handed out. Besides donating food and materials, each company had several employees and family members volunteer.

New Holland once again held their True Blue Salute program, which included price reductions to armed forces members, police officers and firefighters on selected equipment, and donations to the Fisher House program, which supports America's military by providing "comfort homes," that enable family members to be close to loved ones during their hospitalization at major military and VA medical centers.

Larry "The Flag Man" Eckhardt, who voluntarily lines streets with up to 3,000 American flags to honor fallen soldiers, was presented with a gas-powered post driver by Rhino Tool Company to replace his homemade slide hammer.

Kioti Tractor raised over $25,000 for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. The company recruited 52 teams and 188 individual participants from among their dealers to help fundraise and awarded two of them prizes - a limited edition Pink CS2410 subcompact tractor, and a limited edition Pink MECHRON 2200 utility vehicle.