Industry members team up to donate landscape

CARY, N.C. – Project EverGreen, ValleyCrest Landscape Maintenance in Durham, N.C., and Cary-based Arysta LifeScience jointly donated their employee volunteers and services to enhance and improve the grounds at Life Experiences, a United Way of the Greater Triangle partner agency.

Life Experiences is a nonprofit organization that blends education, training and the free enterprise system to create and operate businesses which provide fulfilling employment for adults with developmental disabilities, allowing them the self-esteem of earning a wage for their work and functioning as independent, productive citizens of the Triangle.  “Several years ago, Life Experiences opened a new facility in Cary to offer our employees/clients the best in vocational opportunities and work environments,” said Mary Madenspacher, executive director. “The generosity of everyone involved in this landscape donation helps us to beautify our work space and further extend what we can accomplish within our limited budget.”

United Way of the Greater Triangle connected Project EverGreen and Arysta LifeScience with Life Experiences as a United Way agency partner in need of landscaping.

Project EverGreen is a nonprofit alliance of green industry professionals, associations and companies who are dedicated to informing the public about the environmental, economic and lifestyle benefits of healthy lawns and landscaped green spaces, now and for future generations.   

Jay Manganaro, branch manager of ValleyCrest Landscape Maintenance in Durham, volunteered his professional staff time and labor, as well as donating and installing the nursery stock and pine straw mulch needed to complete the landscape restoration along with Arysta LifeScience employees. “Our company mission is to be a viable part of the communities we serve and it’s a natural partnership for us to contribute to sustaining a healthy, green environment for the employees at Life Experiences” Manganaro said.  

Arysta LifeScience North America, serving Turf & Ornamental and Agricultural markets, is headquartered in Cary, employing approximately 70 people at this location. Several employees volunteered their time to help install shrubs and provide maintenance to existing plants and trees at Life Experiences. “Arysta LifeScience actively supports Project EverGreen and United Way agencies in this community outreach. It makes a difference to the companies involved and to needy organizations in the Triangle when we can help a project like this,” said Annetta Johnson, head of Human Resources at Arysta LifeScience North America and a Life Experiences landscape volunteer. “Our core values include contributing to society and the environment, so we’re particularly pleased to help improve green spaces right here in our local community.”