Community Service 

On Earth Day, Thursday 4/22/10, Laconia NH JAG program will be teaming up with Belknap Landscaping.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Belknap Landscape Engages Area Youth in Earth Week Projects…

Gilford, NH (April 20, 2010) - Belknap Landscape Company Inc. (BLC) is participating in PLANET Day of Service, BLC and industry professionals throughout the nation will unite to demonstrate environmental stewardship by giving back to their communities. By participating, BLC will revitalize Lakes Region places where we live, work, and play, demonstrate goodwill and environmental stewardship and show a commitment to Lakes Region youth environmental education.

Belknap Landscape will be contributing a 26-ton Altec sky crane and associated labor for the Squam Lakes Association construction of the new Youth Activity Barn - a post & beam structure. BLC caught the Association at the 11th hour, just before hiring a crane, to offer the donation of the equipment and skilled operator. This will happen during Earth Week on Tuesday April 20th.

Each summer, over 300 children participate in Association youth programming, enhancing life in the Lakes Region. Although the Association facilities have greatly improved over the past decade, they have always lacked indoor space large enough to conduct programming in inclement weather. The Squam Lakes Association property is located at 534 US Route 3 in Holderness, NH. More on the barn raising, including photos, may be found at: http://www.squamlakes.org/support/youthactivitybarn.php

The second Earth Week effort, in coordination with the Laconia High School chapter of New Hampshire Jobs for America's Graduates (NH-JAG) involves the provision of tools & equipment for LHS students use in dressing up 3 flowerbeds at the school - 2 at the bus turnabout and the other around the front illuminated LHS sign.  BLC will be contributing a load of mulch, hand tools for six students and bringing a tractor to pull out some trees, which have grow wild in the flower beds.

NH-JAG is a statewide program for youth who seek to overcome obstacles in attaining a high school education and in pursuing career and postsecondary educational interests. Through three distinct Programs, NH-JAG facilitates learning, skill development and community involvement empowering these young adults to identify their dreams and to define a productive path within which to achieve these dreams.

LHS students will be guided by a BLC Enhancement Division employee with flowerbed edging, weeding, mulching and moving bulbs from grassy areas into the beds and then resetting the small perimeter stones.

Amy Burke, Youth Specialist for the NH-JAG group, said,  “Our class of 7 JAG students will be ready from 7:30 AM to 9AM, rain or shine, to do the work as directed by BLC. We can’t wait to see the results of the student’s efforts at the entry to our school.  For more information on the JAG program, please visit http://nh-jag.org/