Keller Williams Realty associates took a day off from the office Thursday — but they still were hard at work.

Associates and their affiliates started the day wearing their red t-shirts, armed with paint brushes, screwdrivers and other tools necessary to serve the community as part of the Keller Williams’ nationwide RED Day (Renew, Energize and Donate).

“We close our office once a year on the second Thursday of May to help our communities with what they need most,” said realtor Susanne Cornell. “This year we felt that Loaves Fishes and Create Cañon City make such wonderful contributions to our community and we wanted to support them.

“This is our opportunity to give back to our city for supporting us and our business all year long. We are excited and honored to contribute in this way.”

A dozen realtors and staff members worked at Loaves Fishes painting the dining room and kitchen while another group of 14 volunteers worked at New Creations Inn, an arm of Loaves Fishes that offers individuals and families structured, supportive and affordable housing and life skills classes, painting inside the community house. Plans to assist Create Cañon City install a permanent sign that could hold two to three community banners at Ninth and Royal Gorge Blvd. is postponed to Tuesday because of rain.

“We feel honored that they selected us out of all the great nonprofits in our community,” said DeeDee Clement, executive director for Loaves Fishes. “We could definitely use their services — it’s been a while since we put a fresh coat of paint on some of our walls here.

“This is really a blessing to us.”

Clement said the individuals and families who partake in daily meals at the shelter certainly will notice the new look.

“This is a blessing to our residents,” Clement said. “It makes them feel special and loved and that they’re not forgotten — that someone really cares.”

Lorie Brock, house parent for New Creations Inn, said the work crew painted a conference room, living room and the kitchen.

“It is so wonderful,” she said. “It made such a difference and really brightened it up. I can’t thank them enough.”

Brock said the realtors — experts in knowing how to make a home look inviting — also offered advice on trim and accent walls.

“They really went out of their way,” she said. “We’re so grateful.”

Keller Williams Realty staff brainstormed ideas for service projects for this year’s event, said Mike McCabe, then they selected projects that they could complete in one day.

Past projects include painting the lockers and locker rooms at Cañon City Middle School, re-striping the parking lot at Mountain View Core Knowledge School, moving river rock for the Cañon City Parks and Recreation District and landscaping a community garden on Main Street in Florence.

“I feel like it is very important to us because we can see the impact that we do on the community,” said Randi Yeager, manager for Keller Williams Realty. “We love being able to have our hands in something different, leave the office, shut the office down, and actually do some hard work that benefits us locally.”

Yeager said people still approach her and thank her for the hard work the group put in last year in Florence.

“It’s nice to be able to give back and Keller Williams gives us that opportunity.”

Lunch for the workers was provided by Lynda Lambert of Cañon Signature Mortgage, Gerry Meloni of VIP Mortgage and Vicki Helsley of VIP Mortgage.

Learn deer-management tactics at an upcoming program

RINGWOOD – For those with a green thumb, this time of year is filled with both anticipation and frustration. It’s rewarding to see the fruits of previous labor sprouting forth. But nothing can spoil that satisfied feeling as much as looking out to find the neighborhood deer enjoying an all-you-can-eat buffet.

Considered to have reached “problematic numbers” in many parts of the state, according to nj.gov, they can quickly turn hundreds of dollars’ worth of landscaping into a ravaged wasteland.

While there are remedies that can deter deer from browsing through a garden, the best defense is, as they say, a good offense.

That’s where landscape designer Emil Rostello, Jr. comes in. With more than 10 years of experience working in areas plagued by a large deer population and an education that includes environmental design and ornamental horticulture, Rostello has had to incorporate deer-resistant plantings into many of his landscape designs.

Rostello, a designer and salesperson at Jacobsen Landscape Design and Construction in Midland Park, will be sharing his knowledge of deer-resistant plantings in a presentation at the New Jersey State Botanical Garden on Saturday, May 11.

Rostello’s presentation is intended for the home gardener and is more “plant-centric,” he says, demonstrating different substitutions for popular plants, as well as design strategies to achieve a “dynamic-looking” landscape.

Rostello tailors his designs to be appropriate to the deer population in a given area. There are some areas, such as Kinnelon, where the deer devastate local gardens. This is when more drastic measures are called for, including some plant species that, if not kept in check, are considered invasive.

These types of situations will be covered in the program at the Gardens.

“It’s an hour-long program, but I tend to talk a lot, to keep it open and rolling, and to encourage questions, so it usually runs about an hour and a half,” says Rostello. “It’s not so much a talk as an exchange of ideas.”

CALEDONIA, Mich. (WOOD) – What mom doesn’t like being spoiled with beautiful flowers? Flowers are a fool-proof Mother’s Day gift that can keep on giving, especially if you invest in long term blooms like hanging baskets, planters and flowering trees.

At Harder and Warner Landscaping , their garden center is packed with colorful gift ideas for your mom. A hanging basket is a great gift that blooms all summer long. With only a little bit of maintenance it’s something that your wife or mother can enjoy for months to come.

Take a walk through their Perennial Park and pick out some pops of color and build your own container garden. The experts at Harder and Warner can help you pick out a pot and the best blooms for the size.

Another idea is a flowering tree that your mom can watch flourish over the years. Currently pear, crab and magnolia trees are in full bloom!

Check out what Harder and Warner Landscaping to pick out your Mother’s Day gift today.

Harder and Warner Landscaping
6464 Broadmoor SE
Caledonia MI 49316
616-698-6910
 

ART studios, an increase in open space and a new bridge across the River Torrens are among features of a draft masterplan for Thebarton.

The Thebarton Technology Hub Masterplan, funded by Bio-Innovation SA and West Torrens Council, focuses on the area between Port Rd, the River Torrens, South Rd, Phillips St and West Thebarton Rd.

The plan, which cost $85,000 to develop, was presented to the council last week and states that the “most critical” aspect of rejuvenating the area is reopening the Holland St Bridge.

The State Heritage-listed bridge, which connects Holland St with Adam St near the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, has been closed since 2010 after it was found at risk of failure.

Among other ideas for the area are a free bike rental service, building a second footbridge over the River Torrens at the end of Anne Nelson Drive near the South Rd cemetery and a new park at the corner of Dew St and West Thebarton Rd.

Bio-Innovation SA chief executive Greg Hall said the plans would help revamp the area’s industrial appearance and help Thebarton capitalise on nearby developments, such as the new Royal Adelaide Hospital.

“Its an opportunity to strategically link with the developments so that it is easy to travel from one to the other,” Mr Hall said.

He said the bridges, refurbished local roads and paths and landscaping would improve traffic flow between the developments.

The free bike service would mainly be used by staff and students travelling between the University of Adelaide’s Thebarton campus, the new Royal Adelaide Hospital and Bio-Innovation SA on West Thebarton Rd.

Mr Hall said it was too early say how much the plan would cost to implement but it could be staggered over decades.

The final plan is expected to be released for public consultation on Friday, May 17. Mr Hall will then work on costings for the project, before lobbying for funding from the state and federal governments and West Torrens Council.

Kevin Pierce was an architect whose focus on the best use of resources made him a leader in green design and sustainable development.

“From early on, Kevin established himself as a real innovator and leader in green building design, not only in Chicago, but regionally and nationally as well,” said Bill Abolt, who was environmental commissioner for Chicago in the late 1990s.

Mr. Pierce was most recently CEO and formerly board chairman of The Resource Center of Chicago, an organization devoted to innovative techniques for recycling and reusing materials.

Mr. Pierce, 55, died of a brain tumor Thursday, May 2, in his Wicker Park home, according to his wife, Annie Morse. The two married last year, but were partners for 23 years, Morse said.

Mr. Pierce was a key member of the design team that produced the Chicago Center for Green Technology, in partnership with the city and the Chicago Chapter of the American Institute of Architects Committee on the Environment, which formed the design team for the project.

The building became the first in the United States to receive the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum rating from the U.S. Green Building Council. That project began in 1999 with a team of local architects, including Farr Associates, where Mr. Pierce was then a principal.

“Kevin and his team were actively involved in that and the design of an adjacent building for Christy Webber Landscaping,” said Abolt, speaking of the building in the 400 block of North Sacramento Boulevard. “The project was to redefine what green architecture meant.”

Mr. Pierce was born in Boulder, Colo., where his mother and her parents were involved in art and education. His mother later moved to California, where she married James Pierce, who adopted Mr. Pierce and his siblings.

He graduated from the University of Oregon in Eugene with a bachelor’s degree in architecture and later attended a professional development program at the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University.

Mr. Pierce came to Chicago in 1986, drawn by the vibrant architecture scene. He was part of that scene for 25 years, working in firms that included Skidmore, Owings and Merrill (SOM), Lohan Associates, Farr Associates and what was then the Shaw Group, since acquired by CB I.

Abolt worked with Mr. Pierce at Shaw.

“Originally, green design was seen as pretty Spartan or difficult to attain,” Abolt said. “Kevin really had a knack for taking concepts and turning them into livable buildings.”

Mr. Pierce’s work included hundreds of affordable and sustainably designed housing units in Chicago and northwest Indiana. His work won him a number of awards, including multiple Greenworks awards from the City of Chicago; a National Award for Smart Growth Achievement from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; and honors from the American Institute of Architects Chicago Chapter and Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago.

Mr. Pierce became involved in The Resource Center in the mid-1990s when the center was starting an urban agriculture project in the Englewood neighborhood of Chicago, according to founder Ken Dunn.

“After I worked with him, I thought he’d be a tremendous partner,” Dunn said, citing Mr. Pierce’s work with materials and systems that affect the environment.

The partnership led to Mr. Pierce becoming a volunteer and board chairman of the Center before becoming CEO in 2011, a role that was cut short by his illness.

“He really operated in the realm of ideas,” said Kit Chaskin, the Center’s current board chairwoman. “A lot of his ideas had to do with how resources, including people, are underused and wasted.”

“The Resource Center and Kevin have been great at putting people to work,” she said.

Mr. Pierce is also survived by his mother, Ann Pierce; sisters Alex O’Neill and Darcy Enns; brothers Mark and Jay; a stepsister, Lindell Price; and a stepbrother, Brent Pierce.

A private celebration of his life is being planned.

CHARLESTON — Thirteen high school student entrepreneurs put their business talents on display for the public as part of the ClassE trade show and reception at the LifeSpan Center on Tuesday night.

This is the first year for ClassE, which is an entrepreneurial development class where students jump start their own business. Enrolled in the class are six students from Mattoon High School, six from Charleston High School and one from Oakland High School.

Jeanne Dau of the Business Solutions Center at Eastern Illinois University is the teacher of ClassE; she said the class is offered to high school juniors and seniors during fall and spring semesters and is modeled after the Effingham CEO class.

“This class is learning by doing,” Dau said. “The students choose what they are passionate about.”

Students enrolled in the class create a business plan and are given money by businesses in the area to put their plans into action.

The businesses that students had on display at the trade show and reception were: 2 Moms Dressings, C4 (Coles County Chess Club), College Cuisine on a Dime, EB Icee, Working Hands Day Labor, Lizard Energy, Right Path Landscaping and Lawn Care, Mobile Detailing, Miller’s Truck Shop, Speedrobo Games and Wiles Goods.

Michael Strader and Colton Anderson, co-owners of Right Path Landscape and Lawn Care, both said they came up with the idea for their business because they have family members who work in the landscaping industry, in addition to both having dabbled in lawn mowing jobs during the summer.

“We love it and love that it doesn’t feel like a job,” Strader said.

The various services Right Path Landscape and Lawn Care offers include general landscaping, curbside appeal and mulch work. Also, during the winter, the co-owners provide snow removal as well as hanging outside Christmas lights.

Anderson said he enjoys the business because it’s something that he can do year ’round.

“It’s something we enjoy doing and we can do in the summer and continue in the fall,” Anderson said. “I like being able to take something that’s a bunch of shrubs and weeds and turning it into something great.”

Anderson, 18, a senior at MHS, plans to attend Concordia University Chicago after graduating this year, but said he still plans to stay involved in the business when he’s away at college.

“I will be able to operate from college,” Anderson said. “I expect to stay involved — I don’t want to lose involvement in the business.”

In college, Anderson said he wants to major in business management to help bring new ideas to Right Path Landscaping and Lawn Care.

After college Anderson said he plans to focus his full attention on the business.

“After four years of college I will hit it really hard and enhance my knowledge base,” Anderson said.

Strader, 18, a senior at Oakland High School, said he plans to stay around the area and attend Lake Land College so he can stay fully involved in the business.

He plans to study business administration at LLC.

“I hope to heighten the business,” Strader said.

Both Strader and Anderson said they enjoyed ClassE and were glad they took it.

“I loved it,” Strader said. It was the highlight of my senior year and I didn’t even mind driving all the way from Oakland.”

Anderson said the class helped him figure out what he wanted to pursue as a career.

“This class has been amazing,” Anderson said. “I never expected to learn life lessons. It really helps you find yourself.”

Contact Bilharz at sbilharz@jg-tc.com or 217-238-6839.

Francois: There is great potential in Doha to develop into a more livable city.

By Salman Siddiqui/Staff Reporter

A vision for developing Doha’s own “hanging gardens”, like the fabled gardens of Babylon, using green architecture, or ‘biotecture,’ was the topic of discussion and debate at a Qatar Green Building Council (QGBC) seminar this week.

In a keynote presentation, renowned international architect and urban planner Edouard Francois outlined his vision for sustainable building that integrates nature and architecture, and its potential for Qatar; wherein urban spaces are enriched by copious vertical green planting and urban landscaping.

“The challenge for Qatar is rediscovering the outdoors. There is great potential in Doha to develop into a more livable city, with greater use of quality outdoor spaces through extensive planting to help ameliorate the extremes of Doha’s climate,” he said.

“This vision for Doha encourages an architecture that is aesthetically lush and tactile, with use of not only plants but also natural materials like wood and stone, and a rich diversity of plants and animals,” Francois added.

“Green architecture is not only about techniques, it’s about the right attitude, and the right values, to address the pressing challenges in sustainability that (are faced by) society today.

“Doha is really moving and shaking, and I am impressed with the types of projects underway here,” he said.

A line-up of local experts from various backgrounds and professions, including architecture, structural engineering, air quality management, environment and sustainable development, and green education joined Francois to examine the technical aspects of his vision for biotecture in Doha.

Biotecture is an urban concept that acknowledges that cities are not only made of buildings and infrastructure, but also contain, very often, a rich and diverse urban ecology.

Through techniques such as “green roofs” and “green walls” or vertical planting, whereby built structures are covered with vegetation, biotecture is used to encourage and increase the extent of biodiversity in a city.

Mark Ainger, a structural engineer with WSP Middle East, examined the elements of structural design and building construction that is required to bring Francois’s vision to life, including maintenance and pruning, external frames to support vertical planting, and considerations for airflow around the building.

Iñigo Satrústegui, chief executive of Aire Limpio Qatar, spoke of the likely improvement that biotecture could bring to the city’s outdoor and indoor air quality, while Cynthia Skelhorn examined the potential thermal benefits, and thus energy reduction, of vertical planting on buildings.

“The main point of methods such as vertical planting is to reduce air and surface temperatures, which also impacts building energy requirements,” said Skelhorn, who is a doctoral researcher at Manchester University.

“In Qatar, where temperatures are high for such a large portion of the year, any amount of shading of paved surfaces or reduction in paved surfaces through the use of vegetation will make surroundings more comfortable and more aesthetically pleasing,” she added.

Dr Anna Gretchting of Qatar University offered a landscape architect’s perspective on the potential of biotecture for Doha, whilst her colleague Dr Nobuyuki Yamaguchi discussed the ecological choices that are implied by the “hanging gardens” vision from a scientific and philosophical standpoint.

“Which is more environmentally-friendly? A beautifully maintained neighbourhood in the suburbs or a run-down apartment block in the city?” posed Yamaguchi.

The city’s older areas, he noted, are often much more environmentally sound, although the well-manicured neighbourhoods are in higher demand.

“Regardless of what science suggests as best practice, the future direction of Doha’s city plan will be decided based on human values and preferences,” Yamaguchi concluded.

The seminar closed with a debate on whether the hanging gardens of Doha could become reality.

QGBC director Meshal al-Shamari said: “This seminar reflects a key element of QGBC’s mandate – to bring together diverse areas of expertise from among our members and local and international experts to explore ideas for future sustainable initiatives in Qatar.”

 

 

 

Below: Renditions of what Doha’s own ‘hanging gardens’, using green architecture, or ‘biotecture’, would look like.

RALEIGH A far-reaching proposal by Republicans in the state Senate would slow government spending and affect the wallet of every North Carolinian as it slashes income tax rates and raises the cost of food, prescription drugs and more than 100 tax-exempt services.

Senate leader Phil Berger outlined the forthcoming legislation Tuesday, calling it a $1 billion tax cut that is the largest in state history.

“This is a huge change in the way North Carolina taxes its citizens, the way North Carolina generates its revenue to fund services that government provides,” said Berger, an Eden Republican and the Senate president pro tem.

It shifts the tax burden to consumption rather than income, a move that will disproportionately affect low-income taxpayers and families. A married couple with two children making $30,000 a year would pay an estimated $1,000 more in taxes each year, according to a calculator on a political website designed to support the plan. By contrast, a single taxpayer making $200,000 would get a $6,000 break.

Under the proposal: The state’s 7.75 percent personal income tax rate for the top bracket would gradually drop to 4.5 percent over three years, and likewise the 6.9 percent corporate income tax would fall to 6 percent. The estate tax, paid by only the wealthiest taxpayers in 2010, would be eliminated, and the business franchise tax would see a 10 percent reduction.

To offset the cuts, the state would apply a lower sales tax at 6.5 percent to roughly 130 services currently exempted, or essentially any service taxed by at least one state.

The list of nearly 170 types of services is based on a 2007 survey from the Federation of Tax Administrators, an industry professional group, and includes carwashes, landscaping, car repairs and professional services offered by attorneys, accountants, veterinarians and physicians. All together, the broader sales tax would generate about $2 billion in new revenue.

In addition, the plan would apply the 6.5 percent state sales tax to prescription drugs and food, which aren’t taxed at the state level. Nonprofits would also lose their ability to get a state sales tax refund on purchased goods and services. Social Security would face a state tax for residents who also draw other income. The proposal would eliminate many of the $9.2 billion in existing tax loopholes, but other exemptions would remain.

At the bottom line, the plan does not raise as much money at it cuts, leading to a $250 million reduction in state revenue in the first year and $1 billion less after three years. McCrory asked for a revenue-neutral tax plan in his budget; his spokeswoman declined to comment on the specifics of the Senate plan.

Uncertainties ahead

Scott Norris, a manager at Brown’s Alignment and Brake Service in Raleigh, is worried about charging sales tax on the labor his mechanics perform, saying his customers will pay the extra cost.

“My concern would be that it’s a shell game, they give it to you in one place and take it from you in another,” he said. ”

Berger touted the plan as fair to all taxpayers and a tax cut for the “vast majority.”

The plan represents a retreat for Senate Republicans who earlier this year announced intentions to eliminate personal and corporate income taxes, a proposal also floated by Gov. Pat McCrory while campaigning. And it is clouded with questions because the actual legislation remains unfinished as the legislative session enters its waning weeks.

Even in its more limited form, the measure faces an uncertain future with McCrory and House GOP leaders not completely on board with the Senate’s ideas. But Berger is confident the N.C. General Assembly will pass a tax overhaul this session.

“Our current tax system cannot be fixed by nibbling around the edges,” Berger said in announcing the plan

Change was overdue

The plan’s supporters said the overhaul is necessary to revamp an antiquated tax code and entice businesses to relocate to the state and create jobs. They noted the state’s 9.2 percent jobless rate in March multiple times.

North Carolina’s personal income tax rate for the top bracket is the highest in the Southeast, and the corporate tax rate is highest among neighboring states. The proposed cuts would make North Carolina more competitive with border states but not surpass them in all categories.

“The best way to fight poverty is with a job,” said Sen. Bob Rucho, a Charlotte Republican helping to push the effort. “What this is all about is creating economic opportunity and growth.”

Democrats agree the tax code needs to be updated. But they criticized the Senate plan, saying it represents a tax break for the wealthy and a tax hike for lower-income families.

“This plan actually amounts to the largest tax increase in North Carolina history on the middle class and working families,” Senate Democratic leader Martin Nesbitt said in a statement. “This plan takes those struggling the most and makes life a little harder.”

Even some Republicans expressed reservations. Rep. Tom Murry, a Morrisville Republican and pharmacist, said the prescription drug tax would “increase the cost of health care.”

Like many House members, Murry said tax reform is needed, but he stopped short of endorsing the Senate’s plan. “This is a top priority,” he said. “It’s overdue.”

(Raleigh) News Observer staff writer Dan Kane contributed.

Robert Kozol, in his early 30s, understands the so-called Millennial Generation and its inclination to hire professionals to take care of landscaping and lawn needs.

He wouldn’t call it laziness, as his generation of 18- to 35-year-olds works hard and furious on the job. But off-duty time often is spent on family, travel or electronic amusement rather than on replenishing the flower bed out back.

“Everything seems so computerized,” said Kozol of Robert’s Nursery, Lawn Landscaping in Omaha. “No one wants to get their fingernails dirty anymore.”

In sync are results of an online survey by Professional Landcare Network, which named Millennials and men as among groups more likely to fork over green to have a professional do landscaping and lawn work.

The trade association’s research that aimed to track U.S. purchasing trends in the industry revealed another key finding: Average spending on yard maintenance is expected to hold steady this year, while the biggest average spending increases likely will be on entertainment-type “hardscapes” like decks, outdoor kitchens and water features.

That trend toward upgrading outdoor structural settings — and therefore value to a house — in a still recovering real estate market stands true of consumers across the board, said Kozol and others in the landscape industry.

“It’s certainly true that in a lesser economy, more people are staying in their homes, and they’re fixing them up,” said Sean Mulhall of Mulhall’s landscaping, nursery and garden center in Omaha.

He said his company’s patio, walkway, fire pit and outdoor room construction has seen more of an upswing than its plant installation side.

Remaining a strong seller regardless of season, said Mulhall, are containers for plants and trees. In many cases, he said, creating a place for a beautiful container has led consumers to build a walkway or remodel a patio.

Mulhall anticipates strong May sales overall, as the late spring has delayed activity, especially when compared with last summer when droughtlike conditions put a damper on business. As consumers turn attention to summer and yards, Omaha area landscape and lawn service providers offered other thoughts on what is hot or not in their industry.

Bryan Kinghorn, president of Kinghorn Gardens, also has seen demand for hardscape projects, including modified front entrance areas and patterned walkways that enhance curb appeal and value.

“Leisure time is so precious,” he said. “When you have it, you want to maximize how social interaction takes place. Definitely your landscape contributes to that.”

This year, Kinghorn opened a landscape architecture design branch, called Dropseed Studio, to add another layer of expertise that opens the door for bigger and public structural projects.

Clients, both residential and commercial, want longer-lasting landscapes that create peace of mind rather than more work, Kinghorn said. His business strategy plays into Nebraska’s extreme weather swings by emphasizing Great Plains-friendly plants and landscape designs that draw from natural surroundings.

Consider the rain gardens that the firm is installing at Fontenelle Hills residential development. The idea there is to catch rainwater runoff from uphill homes before it reaches the sewer system. The gardens that absorb runoff feature large rocks and mulch-covered mounds dotted with sedges, Siberian irises, red twig dogwood shrubs — plant life that Kinghorn says is able to withstand unpredictable Nebraska weather.

For other splashes of color, the company might plant hardy crape myrtle instead of lilacs and peonies that are more dependent on a nice spring.

Indeed, Kinghorn said, some of his better landscape ideas come when he visits old Nebraska cemeteries whose trees and plants have been exposed to a roller coaster of growing conditions. “If they made it this far, then they’re probably keepers,” he said.

Kozol said his customers, too, increasingly are concerned with low maintenance. Bubbler-style water features without standing ponds are easier and more popular, he said. Demand for interlocking pavers (versus concrete) for hard surface projects is growing despite the relatively higher cost.

Fragrance also tends to be a big discussion point, landscapers said, as consumers want the multiple benefits of color, longevity and smell.

The online survey conducted in February for Professional Landcare Network called on about 2,200 adults. Eighty-three percent said they had a lawn or landscape, and of that subgroup:

Slightly over one-third hired a professional to do a lawn or landscaping service in the past year, and about the same number expect to in the coming year.

About 5 percent hired a professional last year to build a patio, deck, kitchen or walkway project and spent an average of $1,400. The average amount those same adults expect to spend on that type of service this year is double, or $2,900.

About 17 percent expect to hire out yard maintenance work in the coming year and estimate they’ll spend $700, up from an average of $600 the previous year.

About 7 percent expect to pay for landscape services such as the planting of shrubs, trees and flowers. The average amount they’ll spend will be about $1,200, up from $1,000 the previous year.

Males (39 percent) were more likely than females (32 percent) to hire a professional.

Millennials and senior citizens were more likely to hire a professional landscaper or lawn-keeper (18-35 years, 35 percent; 35-44, 27 percent; 55 and older, 40 percent).

About 42 percent of the consumers who use professional services say they do so because they lack skills or equipment; 15 percent say they lack the patience.

Contact the writer:

402-444-1224, cindy.gonzalez@owh.com

• 
  Brian Ingebretsen

Talk about it

When Woodbury High School sophomore Brian Ingebretsen was living in Chicago in 2003, he saw an advertisement from one of his favorite football players urging boys to join the Cub Scouts.

Ingebretsen took his advice and joined.

“My dad kind of pushed me into it too,” he said. “I joined into Cub Scouts and I had a lot of fun so I decided to continue into Boy Scouts.”

Ingebretsen stuck with Boy Scouts all the way to the end.

He earned the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest Boy Scout rank, last October.

“Becoming an Eagle Scout was a goal, but my parents did do quite a bit of pushing and that definitely kept me going,” he said. “I always respected a lot of the Eagle Scouts that would come out and I always thought it was a big deal, everyone made it out to be a huge deal, so I wanted to be a part of it.”

Ingebretsen is a member of Troop 817 out of Guardian Angels Catholic Church in Oakdale.

In order to earn the rank of Eagle Scout, Boy Scouts must fulfill numerous criteria, including attaining 21 merit badges, demonstrating leadership and taking part in a scoutmaster conference.

The final requirement is to plan, develop and give leadership to others in a service project helpful to any religious institution, any school or the community.

Ingebretsen’s project was to landscape around Guardian Angels’ flag circle outside the cemetery.

“I haven’t seen it since after the snow, so I have to check it out to make sure everything’s still alive and survived the winter,” he said.

When it came to picking out a project, Ingebretsen said he immediately went to Guardian Angels, where his family are members, for ideas.

“I went to the church and asked if they had anything I would be able to do because I wanted to give something back,” he said. “They actually had quite a few projects I could choose from.”

Ingebretsen said he decided on the landscaping around the flag circle because it was in desperate need of being revamped.

“I liked the idea of making the church look a lot better,” he said. “The flag pole before the project was just all open rock and a bunch of dead plants. It didn’t look very nice, so I decided to make a difference.”

Ingebretsen started off his project by meeting with the church chairman to work on the design and discuss how to complete the project.

When it came time to actually start the landscaping, Ingebretsen rounded up his fellow Boy Scouts to dig up all the old rocks and old plants before installing a new walkway and planting a variety of bushes and flowers.

It total, Ingebretsen said he spent 160 hours on the project; the actual landscaping took about 100 hours of that.

Ingebretsen is still heavily involved in Boy Scouts. In fact, he is going to be participating in a High Adventure Triple Play, where he will travel to Philmont, N.M., this July for a hiking and camping excursion.

Ingebretsen said Boy Scouts is something he would recommend to everyone.

“I suggest that people go into scouts because it’s great for life lessons and you get to do a lot of things you wouldn’t be able to do if you weren’t in scouts,” he said.

For his fellow Boy Scouts who are currently working on their Eagle Scout projects, he has this advice: “Definitely stick with it, put the hours in, because it’s definitely worth it. But, be ready for anything because projects will change.”

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