Industry non-profit organized

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – On Nov. 1, Come Alive Outside held its initial board meeting as a non-profit organization, defining the strategic plan of the organization as it moves forward building on the momentum of the Come Alive Outside initiative. The initiative was started by Jim Paluch, president of JP Horizons, in 2011 as a way to inspire professional landscape companies to play a more active role in reconnecting communities with the great outdoors. Over the past three years, over 10,000 people across North America have participated in Come Alive Outside events and programs.

“The current scale of activity and engagement from individuals and organizations participating in Come Alive Outside programs has reached a level where it became clear that it was time to found an organization with its own governance and staff to continue to support and grow the movement,” says Andy Paluch, executive director of Come Alive Outside and former network coordinator of the initiative for JP Horizons.

Newly elected Board President, Daniel Currin, president of Greenscape says, “When I first heard about Come Alive Outside and its mission, it made me reevaluate our business and how we could contribute to the movement,” says Currin. “Researchers are identifying so many health benefits from spending time outdoors, and Americans are just starting to hear the message. I’m pleased to support Come Alive Outside as we work to get the message out to the community.”

Come Alive Outside’s mission is to facilitate collaborative community systems that create the awareness, intention and opportunity for people to live healthier lives outside. They encourage people to become active outdoors, eat what they grow, learn with their hands in the dirt, relax outdoors and play unplugged. The programs that Come Alive Outside creates to accomplish this mission are all working towards a vision of healthy individuals, families and communities enjoying the benefits of great outdoors spaces where they live, work and play.

Programs include the Come Alive Outside Design Challenge, which creates the opportunity for college, high school, elementary and pre-school students to work together with landscape professionals to design and build engaging outdoor learning environments at schools and childcare facilities. The Design Challenge is currently being operated in Canada in partnership with Landscape Ontario and the support of The Grounds Guys, LS Training System, Compass Creative and the Ontario Horticultural Trades Foundation. The program is being operated in the United States in partnership with JP Horizons and the support of The Davey Tree Expert Company. Students from ten colleges and universities across North America are currently participating in the program.

Jim Paluch will continue to serve the organization and offer his expertise as the Chair of the Advisory Board, supporting the nine members of the Board of Directors.

“It is thrilling to have such a fantastic group of people on the board to guide the growth of the Come Alive Outside movement going forward,” Paluch says. “There has never been a better or more important time for all of us to work together to get people off the couch and back outside.”

President:
Daniel Currin
(President, Greenscape Inc.)

Vice President:
Scott Wentworth
(President, Wentworth Landscapes)

Secretary:
Dwayne Ulrichs
(Director of Sales and Business Development, Lurvey Landscape Supply)

Treasurer:
Dave Heckel
(Owner, Padgett Business Services)

Michael Albert
(Director of Grants Development, Right to Play)
Rick Geise
(Director of Marketing & Nature Safe Brand Mgr.)
Dr. Reese Nelson
(Professor of Horticulture, BYU-Idaho)
Sid Raisch
(CEO, Advantage Development Systems-Horticultural Advantage)
Christy Webber
(President, Christy Webber Landscapes)