THE TH HE NALP EXPERIENCE EX XPERIE ENCE
Renewal & Remembrance:
Then and Now By Jill Odom 2020 WOULD HAVE MARKED Renewal & Remembrance’s 25th year that NALP members came together to serve at Arlington National Cemetery. Over the years this event has evolved and grown. It was started by the Professional Lawn Care Association of America (PLCAA, a legacy organization of NALP) as a volunteer event. Renewal & Remembrance was first held in February 1996 and only had 50 volunteers. Since then the event is now held in July and the attendance is typically 400 to 500 volunteers with their families. The work has changed as well. For years, NALP had been liming the grounds but in 2016 they found they had finally corrected the soil pH so liming was no longer needed. Collaborating with the Arlington staff, NALP has moved on to expanding the aeration program and focused on improving water conservation with irrigation system updates. Volunteers have also helped on hardscape installation projects, adding lightning protection to trees and installing annual flowers. The Children’s Program, which is a favorite of many volunteers, was also added early on as Miles Kuperus, Jr., owner of Farmside Landscape & Design in Sussex, New Jersey, and his wife Lisa Kuperus, wanted to create 1 4 TThe 14 he Landscape Lan and dsca ds cape pe Professional Prro o offe fess ssio ion naal // /July/August July Ju ly/August 2020 20 020 02 020
