Volunteer Work Whispering Pines Elementary
Whispering Pines Elementary, in the town of Cutler Bay, Florida, is the latest showcase of our desire to make a difference in our own communities. Like many institutional buildings, Whispering Pines elementary was not much to look at, with designated areas for flowerbeds and foliage turned barren or weed-filled. The PTA allocated a very small budget to buying plants for the campus, and began its search for volunteers to help beautify the campus.
That's when Greenstar Landscaping got involved. They looked at the condition of the landscaping at the elementary school and the budget for the plants, and immediately realized the project could not be completed with the funds available. Greenstar's owner, Peter Masi, wanted more for the elementary school, to complete the project in a way that the kids and teachers can have a wonderful learning and working environment, and be proud of their campus. He decided to add money from his own pocket to the budget for plants, in addition to the free labor his company was providing.
Greenstar Landscaping took those barren dirt areas and replanted, this time with plants that were hearty and long-lasting, meant for shade or sun, respectively, with plants that will flourish without much attention. Greenstar Landscaping also took the opportunity to prune and trim the various trees across the campus, a feat that had been needed for years at Whispering Pines. In fact, Greenstar alerted the faculty about the hazardous condition of one of the trees that was predominate on campus, which the county later removed. This avoided the destruction and harm the tree could have done by dropping limbs or falling on its own.
As sunlight streams through new paths in the trees, sharing the brightness of the day with bustling school children heading to class, the updated landscaping around the courtyard provides a showpiece the entire school is proud of. Venturing to the edge of campus, the rock work and plant selections around the school’s main sign add texture to the area, while the new hedges add a dynamic visual barrier to the campus.
The new landscaping and labor pruning, weeding, planting, and more will last many years at Whispering Pines Elementary, and so will the new found pride in the campus and gratefulness to Greenstar Landscaping for their generous donations of labor and materials to make Whispering Pines Elementary a more beautiful place to go to school.
