Lawn Doctor of Denver and Snowology Deliver for a Military Family

When there was a need for volunteers, Lawn Doctor of Denver and Snowology answered the call to support a military family. That is what Project EverGreen’s GreenCare and SnowCare for Troops programs do – they deliver.

Sharon (last name withheld on request), a military spouse living in the Denver area, knows the feeling of isolation that can come with a deployment. Her husband, a full-time police officer and National Guard reservist, has been called into active duty two times over the past five years, leaving Sharon to manage their young family and household responsibilities.

The first deployment came during Covid, a time when it was difficult for anyone to get assistance with anything.

“When he left, I had an eight-month-old at home and it was horrible,” she recalls. “I could not get help because everyone was freaked out about the pandemic.”

Last year, the Guard called on her husband once again – this time with orders to leave for a four-month commitment with just four days’ warning. Fortunately, she had met an individual in the military who was familiar with family readiness resources who provided some help.

“I told him that my husband was deploying in two days, and he asked what I needed,” she recalls. “I was like, ‘there are resources available?’ I had no idea, I was shocked! I gave him my number and he sent me over a bunch of stuff.”

Among the available services she came across was GreenCare and SnowCare for Troops.

“It’s really amazing, they don’t ask about your income or rank or where the deployment is, if it’s military related and more than 30 days, you can get help,” she says. “All of a sudden, the biggest weight was lifted off my shoulders.”

Sharon was matched up with two volunteer organizations who were ready to help — Lawn Doctor of Denver for the lawn care, and Snowology for snow removal. On the brink of winter, there was not a lot left to do but Lawn Doctor franchisee Michael Harl reached out to see how he could help.

“They were able to help winterize the lawn – they aerated my back lawn and did a treatment to the whole yard – this spring everything should be in great shape,” says Sharon. “I never got the chance to meet Michael, but he was wonderful to work with. His people were very professional and left a sheet of information about the services they performed.”

Harl says he has only ever talked to family members on the phone since Lawn Doctor signed on for GreenCare for Troops in 2017, but he still gets a strong sense of gratitude that comes through in conversations. “I remember Sharon for being particularly grateful for the program services.”

“I don’t have any strong military ties within my family,” Harl continues, “it is more a feeling than anything else that these families with deployed members and young kids at home really need and deserve our help. And it is not really a lot of effort on our part to do something that makes a difference.”

In Colorado, the availability of snow removal was a huge comfort to Sharon.

“Shoveling is the one thing that I cannot handle myself, so when I got matched up with Bennett at Snowology I can’t tell you what a relief it was.” At the time of first contact, a major snowstorm was threatening the area – while it never hit her area, Sharon was assured that if it did, she could count on having a clean driveway.

Bennett Polley, a professional snow manager for two decades who recently started Snowology, joined SnowCare for Troops because he saw it as “the perfect match for my business and an easy way to connect and give back. In Sharon’s case, she did not get enough snow to require removal before her husband returned home, but we were ready to help if needed.”

“Bennett was so kind and eager to help out,” says Sharon. “A couple of times we got one or two inches of snow, and he would call to check on us and see if we needed service. I cannot say enough how wonderful it was to have that burden off me. That four months I felt like I did not need anything else, I could handle the kids and the house and everything else knowing those other things would be taken care of.”

Become A Volunteer Today

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The Title Sponsor of the GreenCare for Troops program Title Sponsor is Nufarm. SnowCare for Troops program in BOSS Snowplow. Platinum Partners include Toro, SiteOne Landscape Supply, AMGUARD Environmental Sciences  and Heritage Landscape Supply. The Silver Partner is Arborjet/Ecologel.

Affiliate Partners include the Connecticut Grounds Keepers Association and the Florida Nursery, Growers and Landscape Association.

GreenCare for Troops is endorsed by the National Association of Landscape Professionals