YardApes Teams Up With Professional Landcare Network’s Volunteer “Planet Day Of Service” To Beautify Brookfield Library

This Earth Day, April 22, 2009, president and CEO Shayne Newman, of well-reputed professional landscaping firm YardApes Inc., will descend with a team of volunteers from his highly trained and certified staff to spruce up the curb appeal and revitalize the greenspaces of Brookfield’s town library at 182 Whisconier Road, Brookfield, CT.

The YardApes Brookfield project is part of a nationwide “Day of Service” initiated by national lawn and landscape Professional Landcare Network association PLANET, with the goal of giving its over 4,200 member companies and affiliates an opportunity to plan, organize, and carry out projects to give back and benefit their local communities.

YardApes’ Newman, a faithful PLANET member and recent Landcare Network Public Relations Committee appointee, touts the event’s purpose as a “shining occasion for members of the lawn care and landscape industry to play a publicly vital role as caretakers of the world’s green spaces, parks, schools, and public grounds, thereby creating and maintaining a crucial quality- of- life factor in communities across America.”

A perennially recognized leader in community service contributions throughout the year, Newman decided to be a charter participant and show commitment to this cause in particular in order to raise awareness about the lawn care and landscape profession while fostering company camaraderie and teamwork, along with the central mission of demonstrating goodwilland environmental stewardship in improving the country’s greenspaces while revitalizing the places where people live, work, and play.

Newman chose the Brookfield Public Library site after engaging with Brookfield Park and Recreation Director Dennis DiPinto. The YardApes volunteer team plans a ‘landscape renovation’ at the site, which sits on a well- trafficked route not only for locals, but for many pass-through commuters and residents from points both north and south.  The renewal project will include the removal of deer- damaged and overgrown plantings, pruning of healthy existing plants, as well as installation of new plants and mulching. Newman is in talks now with industry wholesale nursery distributors who may also donate materials for the cause.

Following Newman’s lead, the YardApes staff members are no strangers to community volunteerism. The affectionately nicknamed “apes” are regular participants in company give-back projects and they understand the value doing so can add to their own lives. “It is very important for us at YardApes to continually strive in creating a ‘whole’ workplace, where the workers feel good about their jobs, reach their professional and educational goals, and  have opportunity to standout as top-notch examples of what land care professionals represent today. “My employees are excited to help out the community, and I am very proud that they are willing to donate their time and energy during the gear up of our busy Spring season. They take pride in their work not only a professional level, but personally as well.”

In fact, on his own initiative, YardApes employee Sean Kaiser is working on organizing a possible satellite of the Yardapes PLANET Day of Service project at a second site in the neighboring company home-town base of New Milford, along with the New Milford Youth Agency.

In addition to Earth Day, the month of April also plays host to National Lawn Care Month, and National Arbor Day.  “April is also the time of year when many people start thinking about getting outside again. It is important for all of us to take the time to think about the positive impact of a green environment — the aesthetic impact, as well as the environmental and economic,” says Newman.

“PLANET reports a lower incidence of crime in neighborhoods with well-kept lawns and landscapes, and a 15 to 20 percent increase in property values. It is critical that we take care of our green spaces and protect them so that everyone in the community can benefit, and it is incumbent on everyone in the community to find ways to enhance the green spaces around us and to consider their own personal responsibility as stewards of the environment.”

“We’re looking forward to doing our YardApes magic for the people of Brookfield and neighboring towns to enjoy.”

YardApes Inc. is an award-winning Northwestern Connecticut leading provider of residential and commercial landscaping services, landscape design, construction and maintenance.

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