Turf Workz helps rake in the green for Lamar County Human Resources Council

Posted on Mar 14, 2013 in Non Profit by Jeff Parish

One client of the Red River Region Business Incubator with a green thumb helped rake in the green for the Lamar County Human Resources Council recently.

“Good corporate citizenship is one of the things we encourage at the incubator,” R3bi Director Hank Betke said.

Turf Workz Hydroseeding donated a package that drew more than any other auction item at the council’s annual Mardi Gras fundraiser held March 1 at Love Civic Center.

“We went to some of our affiliates and asked if they would be willing to put together a something to donate,” company owner Kent Davis said.

Turf Workz donated a 6,000-square-foot hydroseed application. Sanchez Lawn & Landscape pitched in one year of weed control. Adams Lawn & Landscaping donated a flower bed mulch job, and Cristie’s Lawn & landscape a landscape makeover. The package, worth $3,450, sold for $2,750 to On Call Home Health.

“It has been a few years since we have had an auction item bring that much,” LCHRC Executive Director Tanteta Moore said. “It’s just exciting when you see generosity coming in all directions.”

Mardi Gras raised more than $31,000 this year. Moore credited the community for the event’s success, including staff, volunteers, underwriters and sponsors — not to mention donations from places like Turf Workz.

“We were blessed with donors who made it one of our biggest and best auctions yet,” Moore said. “Attendance was great and people came with their checkbooks ready to purchase items to help those in need.”

Turf Workz is proud to have been one of those donors. The company has enjoyed a measure of success already this year, meeting goals in the first quarter that had been set for the year.

Davis’ affiliate program is up and working with partners from Plano to Texarkana. He had hoped to shoot one million square feet of hydroseeding in 2013, but booked 1.2 million square feet in the first 19 days of the year – resulting in a new goal of five million square feet. Turf Workz is also in the process of becoming an approved Texas Department of Transportation vendor.

All the success would not be possible without the community, Davis said. And so he wanted to find a way to give back.

“Nearly every dollar they raise provides one meal,” Davis said. “Our one auction item will feed more than 2,300.”

Lamar County Human Resources Council Inc. is a not-for-profit agency that operates several programs:

• The best known is Meals on Wheels, which delivers hot, dietitian certified meals to seniors and disabled adults in Lamar County.
• LCHRC runs four senior centers that offer socialization as well as a noon meal. The meal programs are serving an average of 540 meals a day. LCHRC offers transportation for those who are over 60 to aid them in maintaining an independent lifestyle. Seniors can book rides to locations such as the bank, grocery store and beauty shop.
• The council operates the “Gifts of Love” program, which brings Christmas to homebound seniors and disabled adults in Lamar County. LCHRC also provides blankets, fans and heaters for those in need.

Grants and contracts do not cover the full expense of the services the Human Resources Council offers. For example, for every Title XX meal served, LCHRC has to raise $1.15 beyond what the federal program pays. With an anticipated 45,250 Title XX meals expected this year, that comes to $52,037.50 to cover the expenses just for 2013. In all, the council is expected to serve 130,000 meals this year.

“What does it mean when we get an auction item that goes for $2,750?” Moore said. “It means that we have raised enough additional monies to make 2,392 meals available to homebound seniors and disabled adults in Paris and Lamar County.”