Earn It

This was a GREAT day!  I am very fortunate to have just participated in one of the most moving events of the year!  PLANET’s Renewal and Remembrance, which takes place at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, VA.  Lawn Care, Landscapers, Tree care, and other green industry professionals and their families come from all over the U.S. to give one day at Arlington National Cemetery to clean up and beautify the grounds.

There were several hundred participants this year and all proud to give back to the U.S. Military and their families who gave SO much for us and our freedom!  It is awe-inspiring to see the names of simply incredible and heroic individuals throughout the grounds.  The opening ceremony was also moving in that they spoke of making our time here on earth worth it.  The example of “Saving Private Ryan” and how this group of soldiers gave their lives to save one individual and at the end when the Captain (Tom Hanks) was about to pass away, he tells private Ryan to “Earn it”… meaning to earn having his life saved by others who gave theirs to save it.

Glen Jacobsen (Jacobsen Landscape), said that all of these people gave their lives to ensure that we have the freedoms that we have today and that we too should “Earn it!”  Are you earning it?  Am I?  A great question to ask each and every day, and I hope my children learned something today with that talk.

Aside from a great day of hard work, my family had an incredible honor of my son Luke laying the wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown soldier!  What an incredibly moving event in and of itself!  PLANET has a wreath that is given to this tradition and we were honored that Luke was chosen to participate!  If you ever have the opportunity to watch this and the changing of the guard, I would highly recommend it.  To see Luke stand beside these Soldiers and their Sergeant, and to help lay a wreath honoring the Tomb was breathtaking.  I can tell you that his Mom and I are very proud parents today!  I want to thank PLANET again for bestowing this honor on our family!

If any of our green industry clients have not participated in this event, again, I would highly recommend it!  We will always remember these days and hope to “Earn it” throughout our lives!