ELMWOOD PARK, NJ — The New Jersey Landscape Contractors Association’s (NJLCA’s)Executive Director Jody Shilan and Vice President Chris Hricik, CLT, made the annual visit to theProfessional Landcare Network’s (PLANET’s)Renewal and Remembrance and Legislative Day on the Hill in Washington during the second week of July.
Shilan and Hricik participated, along with more than 400 volunteers from around the country, in the Renewal and Remembrance event at Arlington National Cemetery. The day began with a ceremony featuring a joint color guard and speaker presentations to dedicate the day of work prior to helping maintain these hallowed grounds. During the event, hundreds of Green Industry professionals from across the nation brought their crews to Arlington National Cemetery to spend the day mulching, upgrading sprinklers, pruning and cabling trees and installing lightening protection for trees, liming 150 acres, planting, and aerating the soil.
“This is my second year participating in Renewal and Remembrance at Arlington National Cemetery. I am still overwhelmed by this somber, yet proud day. It is an honor and a privilege to give back to our fallen heroes in this way,” says Shilan.
The following day, Shilan and Hricik had a full day of meetings with representatives throughout the state of New Jersey and participated in Legislative Day on the Hill. They, on behalf of NJLCA members and the entire industry, met with the offices of Sens. Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) andRobert Menendez (D-NJ), and Reps. Steven Rothman (D-NJ), Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ), Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ) and Scott Garrett (R-NJ). A wide array of industry issues iwere discussed, including H-2B, the Lyme and Tick-Borne Disease Prevention, Education, and Research Act of 2011 (S. 1381), and H.R. 872, and the Reducing the Regulatory Burdens Act of 2011. NJLCA Members Miles Kuperus, CLT (Farmside Landscaping) and Glenn Jacobsen, CLT (Jacobsen Landscape) also participated in the event.
“This day truly makes you appreciate that you can actually meet with your representatives and affect change in this great country,” says Hricik. “This was a great opportunity to represent the NJLCA and our industry.”
