After days of gloomy clouds and torrential rain, on the morning of May 19th, 2010, the skies parted, giving way to a beautiful day and an amazingly successful BKD-Christel House Academy Volunteer Project. The success was entirely due to the hard work of the BKD team and immense generosity of Vohland Nursery, Cheryl Atchley, and Tiffany Lawn and Garden Supply.

With the opening of the Christel House Academy Watanabe High School fast approaching, completing landscaping on the property was becoming a growing priority. Specifically, the Academy was in need of tree and shrub planting on the northwest side of the high school in order to meet city guidelines for opening.

Early this Spring, Vohland Nursery agreed to donate five trees, three Greenspire Lindens and two Autumn Blaze Maples. In addition to the donation, Vohland also committed to planting the trees and preparing the grounds for the planting of the shrubs. Cheryl Atchley, landscaping expert and longtime friend of Christel House, donated all thirty shrubs for the area, while Tiffany Lawn and Garden Supply placed the final touch on the project by contributing 4 cubic yards of hardwood mulch. Vohland's team braved the rain soaked days early in the week to plant the trees and prepare the rest of the grounds. Then on Wednesday, thanks to a dozen enthusiastic BKD volunteers and Cheryl Atchley's leadership, the shrubs were planted, the mulch laid, and a gully was dug around the property to preserve the landscaping. The final product is stunning.

We cannot fully express our gratitude to all of our partners in this endeavor. Our hats off to Vohland, Cheryl Atchley, Tiffany, and BKD!

Labels: Academy, partner, service