Busch Gardens announced Tammy Bennett from Washington, N.C., the winner of the first-ever Busch Gardens’ Landscaping Giveaway. Bennett’s prize is a yard landscaping package that includes consultation services from Busch Gardens’ horticultural professionals, landscaping and gardening supplies and landscaping installation, according to a news release.
“I am so excited and cannot wait for them to get started. Busch Gardens has the most beautiful flowers and gardens. Every time we go, I wish my yard would look like that,” said Bennett after learning she won the landscaping giveaway in a news release.
Busch Gardens announced the giveaway in early March via its Facebook page – facebook.com/buschgardens.
Entries came in from the Southern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. Participants submitted a photo of their home and a story about why they deserved to win the Busch Gardens’ Landscaping Giveaway. After reviewing hundreds of submissions, Busch Gardens narrowed the landscaping giveaway submissions down to 20 finalists.
According to Bennett’s submission, she purchased her dream home right after receiving a kidney transplant; her husband was her kidney donor. The Bennett family hoped to fix up their home right after purchasing it, but due to medical and financial hardships they had to put their dream on hold.
“We have been living here 6 1/2 years, this house was in foreclosure and it was a mess. There were trees and bushes growing into the side of our house and into the attic, we had to rip them all down. The lawn had not been mowed in a year, so it was pretty much knee high and mostly weeds. With all the money we spent on the inside of the house, we just never could afford to do the outside or any landscaping projects,” said Bennett.
After announcing the finalists, Busch Gardens invited its Facebook fans to cast their vote for their favorite finalist. Bennett received more than half of the 43,000 votes cast for the giveaway. Later this spring, the Busch Gardens team will visit the Bennett home to install the landscaping.
For 22 consecutive years Busch Gardens has won the “Most Beautiful Park” award from the National Amusement Park Historical Association.
Tammy’s entry:
“We bought our house right after my kidney transplant – my (lovely) husband generously donated me one of his kidneys, which I desperately needed. We thought with a second chance at life, we would buy a house and fix it up. And we started remodeling the house, but then we weren’t able to continue and do the outside due to financial stress. The financial burden of my anti-rejection medication, plus all our other medical bills meant the house would have to wait. Unfortunately, it’s still waiting and I would love a chance to win this!”
Posted by Kathy Van Mullekom; kvanmullekom@aol.com
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