Project EverGreen Embraces Military Family Appreciation Month

For military families, the specter of deployment is an ever-present reality. And when the call finally does come, the avalanche of planning and preparation and the scramble to fill the void left by a deployed spouse – on top of the anxiety over unknown dangers awaiting soldiers in places far away – can be overwhelming.

November is Military Family Appreciation Month, which was created to bring to the public consciousness the challenges these families face, and to honor the sacrifices made by the entire family unit when one or more members are required to leave their homes in service to their country.

Today, unlike post-9/11 America, there’s a relative quiet as far as high-profile mass deployments in the United States that belies the truth.

“People don’t realize that our soldiers are still deploying all the time,” said Laura Wence, wife of a commander of the 2^nd Brigade Combat Team of the 10^th Mountain Division at Ft. Drum, New York. Wence works with families to get help in preparation for deployment. “The cycle is never ending, but because it is not in the news the public doesn’t think about it.”

Families often don’t know when the call will come, nor how much preparation time will be available prior to deployment. Some will get up to a year, while for others it could be a matter of days or weeks. And every family will bring a different set of challenges with losing a family member.

“Deployments often involve young families experiencing separation for the first time,” said Wence. “Suddenly, you are thrust into the role of dual parent taking over multiple responsibilities. It is stressful and often overwhelming.

“It is so hard when missing a loved one, especially knowing how scary things are over there,” she continued. “There is so much worry and anxiety about what’s happening to them. People really don’t know what a struggle it is, particularly for those in the lower ranks who don’t have as many resources.”

Dawn Ulmen, who works with Michigan National Guard families to find resources during a deployment, agrees that the challenges faced by families dealing with an impending deployment can be mind-boggling, especially when they are first timers.

“There are so many considerations,” said Ulmen. “How do they handle the finances? Who will take care of the bills, the car repairs and the house upkeep? Should they quit their job? Some soldiers are caregivers to elderly residents – how can that be helped to minimize the impact on the family? There’s a lot of stress to deal with when figuring out how to manage life without the loved one.”

Project EverGreen GreenCare and SnowCare for Troops programs has welcomed a  number of these military families in need to its ranks.

Jolene and Michael Johnson of Manchester, New Hampshire, were facing a world of uncertainty and stress ahead of Michael’s Army deployment in late 2018. Along with the financial struggles that are almost inevitable for military families who must trade a civilian salary for a soldier’s pay scale, Jolene had been medically discharged from the Navy and left unable to fully manage the household maintenance.

Erin Pritchard, a Columbus area military spouse who received help from a GreenCare and SnowCare for Troops volunteer, started her home front experience by driving eight hours on icy roads with her husband back to his Michigan-based unit for a yellow ribbon ceremony, then turning around and drove back home alone.

“The next day was my birthday, so it was a pretty crappy week,” said Pritchard. Managing an acre of land, and starting a small business, were her biggest concerns along with the welfare of her spouse.

Coordinator Ulmen recalled her own experience as a home-bound military spouse several years ago, and how much a service like GreenCare for Troops would have been valued.

“I was pregnant at the time, the weather was super-hot, and I was out there mowing my lawn because I was too upset about asking someone for help,” Ulmen remembered. “It was literally 100 degrees, and I was eight months pregnant, and believe me had I known there was a service available I would have definitely used it.”

The challenges and difficulties vary, but what’s consistent across all military families is the devotion to service that every member must accept and manage – and why volunteering in the GreenCare and SnowCare for Troops programs makes such a positive impact.

“We are not going overseas with our spouses, but we are partners in this,” said Wence. “Those left behind are also sacrificing. And for the GreenCare and SnowCare for Troops volunteers, taking care of work like mowing lawns clearing snow may not seem that significant, but to the family it is huge.”

Ki Matsko, Project EverGreen’s program director for GreenCare and SnowCare for Troops, said volunteers are not always aware of the day to day struggles a military family faces or how they can help during a deployment.

“The GreenCare for Troops and SnowCare for Troops programs provide an amazing platform for people in this industry to volunteer their time while we handle all the logistics,” said Matsko. “It is an easy way for companies to pay it forward to our nation’s heroes by simply adding a military family onto a current service route. If every company helped even just one military family, what a huge impact that would make.”

Become A Volunteer Today

Are you ready to step up for a military family? Register today

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