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Written by Colorado Green NOW
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Wednesday, October 26, 2022 02:00 AM |
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Designscapes Colorado’s gift program changes children’s lives
During the 2021 ELITE Awards reception held last November, Designscapes Colorado, Centennial, was honored with the Community Stewardship award for their “Angels Among Us,” project. The project gives a present to pre-K, kindergarten, and first- and second-grade students who may not receive one during the holiday season. It started six years ago. Participation is offered to each employee, who can opt to take a child’s name from the list and donate a wrapped present with a spending limit of $25. Designscapes Colorado has donated gifts each year to more than 100 students, along with a hat, glove and scarf set. The program demonstrates to th community that there are people who care about them and want to help, and it has become a major tradition for the company.
“The Angels Among Us program here at Designscapes Colorado is one that I am most proud of,” says Charlene Farley Chacon, residential team manager. “It is such an amazing feeling to see the support and enthusiasm from all our team members who are truly happy providing so many children with gifts during the holiday season! It reaffirms the goodness in people, especially when at times the world and our lives are challenging.” Chacon recognizes that children are our future, and they don’t have a say in the economic situations they are brought up in.
“Some of these children may not be able to experience the dreams of Christmas we see in the movies or envision providing for our own children,” she says. “One of Designscapes Colorado values is to ‘Build and Shape a Better Future’ and helping children feel love, joy and happiness is a way we are supporting this value.”
The Angels Among Us program not only positively affected many children, but impacted many teachers, changed the lives of the organization directors, and shaped the hearts of Designscapes Colorado employees.
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Written by Colorado Green NOW
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Wednesday, October 26, 2022 01:00 AM |
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Successful annual CNGA women in horticulture luncheon
On Thursday, October 6, 2022, this year’s annual CNGA women in horticulture luncheon took place at the Denver Botanic Gardens. This event is a wonderful tradition to celebrate women in the green industry.
There was plenty of networking and a wonderful lunch buffet was served accompanied by wine. There were also gifts and door prizes for all. This was the perfect social event to attend and a great reward for employees who have helped CNGA achieve another successful year.
Following lunch, a panel of women spoke on their stories of success in the horticulture industry.
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Written by Steve Steele
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Wednesday, October 12, 2022 04:00 AM |
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By Steve Steele, Steele Dynamic Services, LLC, Golden
Shift. Change. Innovation. Three words define how companies will need to navigate still-murky post-pandemic waters, which may be impacting their ability to thrive or even survive, in the uncertain market conditions that see now. While hope remains that “the Fed” (Federal Reserve) will navigate a soft landing economically—cooling consumer demand without massive job loss—there is general professional agreement that recession will occur in some form.
Dictionary.com defines shift as “a slight change in direction, position or tendency.” Change is “to make something different; alter or modify; replace something with something else, especially something of the same kind that is newer or better.” Finally, innovation is “a new method, idea, product, etc.” The key to success is properly balancing all three.
I recently visited Pisa’s Leaning Tower in Italy, an area largely unchanged over a millennium. While wandering the complex, I noticed a small machine docked on beautifully manicured turf. Closer inspection revealed an electric powered, robotic mower. In that moment, I realized this exact balancing act of shift, change and innovation was working here.
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Written by Colorado Green NOW
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Wednesday, October 12, 2022 03:00 AM |
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How Changing Landscapes met homeowner goals
Foothills Terrace is the Boulder property for which Changing Landscapes, Inc., Longmont, received the 2021 Gold ELITE Award for Residential Landscape Construction. Paul Hartman, president, says his clients bought the property and moved from Texas. “They scraped the existing house and started over.” When Hartman and his team started constructing the landscape, the new house was mostly built but not complete, so coordination between the builder and Changing Landscapes was a necessity.
Access
In addition to the steep slope, access to the back of the property—where the outdoor living features were to be located—was limited. The general contractor assisted Changing Landscapes in accessing the area by boarding up a basement window and filling the window well and surrounding area with soil, to create a path for the skid steer—the only equipment Changing Landscapes’ team could utilize to get to the back. Albeit the skid steer was a large one that could lift up to 2.5 tons.
The skid steer got a workout! Up the back (and front) slope it cautiously hauled 100 tons of boulders, delivered by semi-trucks in four loads over the span of a month. Additionally, the skid steer moved 15-20 tons of soil from the house construction to help retain and stabilize the boulders. Some of the excavated soil was amended and used in planting beds. All the soil from home construction was put to use in the overall landscape.
Plants
“We installed water-wise xeric and native perennials throughout the landscape, including ground covers, grasses, trees and shrubs,” Hartman says. “We also planted the clients’ pots with dianthus for a burst of summer color, alongside succulents—sedums and ice plants—to display vibrant winter color.” The homeowners planted the vegetable garden.
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