In This Issue
Auxiliary Report
Happy February! The Super Bowl is coming (go Niners!) and Valentine’s Day is close. Hopefully we will find something to celebrate in one of those events.
The January meeting at Top Golf was a fun event. Some new faces, some familiar faces. Thank you to Jackie Marsey for organizing it. We were a small group but thanks to everyone’s generosity the Auxiliary raffle raised $100 for LEAF scholarships. The winners were: Barry Cohen won the basket by James Walker and Beth Valdez won the well-supplied Peninsula Building Materials bag by Scooter Wren. Thank you to James and Scooter for your contributions and congratulations to our winners.
I will have more to report in March since our first Auxiliary meeting didn’t occur until the very end of January. If you have any thoughts on Auxiliary events, you can send them my way at the email address below. It takes a lot of people to keep the Auxiliary running smoothly. I hope you will think about joining us this year and help us make the chapter events the best ever. We would love to have your creative ideas and energy in the group. Happy Valentine’s Day. Have a great February and maybe I’ll see you at the NorCal show on February 8.
Lesley Peters
Garden Designer
650-444-4580
gpland@sbcglobal.net
LEAF: The History of CLCA’s Scholarship Program
Since 1977, one of the main focuses of the CLCA Auxiliary has been the financial assistance to students pursuing careers in the landscape field, both at the state and local levels. In the mid-1980’s long-time member, Candy Fiske, made a proposal to the State Auxiliary wherein a tax-exempt foundation would be established which would house and manage perpetual scholarships established by individuals, families, companies and other entities. Donations, tax deductible to the extent allowed by law, to these funds would create earnings from investments as set forth by its Bylaws and ONLY THESE EARNINGS would be awarded as scholarships each year, thus ensuring the fund principals would remain intact. The Auxiliary enthusiastically approved this proposal and, thanks to the efforts of many dedicated individuals from the Auxiliary, CLCA and the Associate Member Organization, the Landscape Educational Advancement Foundation (LEAF) was formally established in 1988. Since that time a total of 38 memorial, 8 honorarium, 13 chapter, 3 company, 1 family, the AMO and the CLCA Auxiliary funds have been established totaling $1,446,876.40
Applications are carefully evaluated and scored based on goals, extra curricular activities, work experience, financial need, letters of recommendation and grade point average in their major. As of December 31, 2023 the CLCA Women’s Auxiliary and LEAF have awarded 1197 scholarships to 630 students totaling $756,775!
In 1995 a grant program was established as an opportunity to provide financial assistance to landscape programs for special needs (projects, equipment, tools, etc.) in all educational levels. To date LEAF has three grant funds: the Educational Grant, North Coast Auxiliary and CalPoly-San Luis Obispo. To date thirteen grants have been awarded totaling $15,577.63 and the combined principal balance of these grant funds has grown to $63,934.63.
The State Women’s Auxiliary continues their fundraising efforts with the unending and much appreciated support and participation of its members and you, the members of CLCA. The chapter honorarium and memorial funds continue to grow, thanks to the fundraising efforts of the chapters who established them. Several events have proven to be extremely successful. Suggestions and guidance is available to anyone or any group interested in a commitment like this. Remember, your contribution is a way of giving back to the industry that has provided your family its livelihood. Gifts to LEAF ensure an enduring source of capital to support future leaders of the Landscape Industry by fostering educational excellence.
For more information regarding LEAF or for fundraising suggestions, please contact Mary Cohen, LEAF Chairperson, at (408) 981-2955 or via e-mail at maryecohen@gmail.com. To establish a new fund, make a donation or for informational brochures, either contact Mary or send your request to the Landscape Educational Advancement Foundation (LEAF), c/o CLCA Headquarters, 1491 River Park Drive, Suite 100, Sacramento, CA 95815-8899 or call (916) 830-2780.
CLICK HERE to read the bios of individuals who have named funds in LEAF that we established or are supported by the SFBA.
NorCal Landscape & Nursery Show
The NorCal Landscape & Nursery Show is coming to the San Mateo Event Center on February 8th, 2024 from 8am – 4pm.
Partner Spotlight
The Month’s Partner Spotlight is Delta Bluegrass
Delta Bluegrass is always working to improve sod varieties to benefit our industry. The R&D program allows Delta Bluegrass to remain on the cutting edge of turfgrass technology. The goal is to always provide blends that minimize water usage. Sod innovations and new developments include R & D Installation at our McDonald Island Ranch. Five of the largest seed producers in Oregon submitted their experimental and newest drought tolerant varieties of turf grass for our evaluation program. We also are proud to be the first to trial Kurapia Inc’s “New White” variety.
The lightbox technology adopted by Delta Bluegrass Company is an innovative diagnostic tool. The unbiased scientific data is used in selecting grasses that provide optimum drought benefits.
The system uses a light source and digital photography to capture photographs of the various plots being analyzed. The photographs are then fed into a computer and are correlated into the quality aspects of color, density and texture. The system has the ability to then compare the readings of all the plots analyzed and rate them on a quality scale.
Click Here to Learn Why Delta Bluegrass is the Best at What They Do
Diamond Partners
Platinum Partners
Gold Partners
Emerald Partners
Sapphire Partners
Achievement Award A La Carte
2024 Board of Directors
Chairperson of the Board – Juan Carlos Esparza
President – Barry & Mary Cohen
Vice President – Beth Valdez
Treasurer – Scooter Wren
Secretary – Jackie Marsey
Associate Liaison – Marin Villalpando
Auxiliary President – Lesley Peters
Auxiliary Vice President – Girvin Peters
Auxiliary Treasurer – Rick Camin
Auxiliary Secretary – Vicky Parrott