Honoring U.S. veterans is integral to Spring-Green’s core values—Ecstatic Customer Base, Pursue Common Goals, Innovate to Improve, Do Right, Respect for All, Move Forward. That is why for the 18th year, Spring-Green has participated in Renewal & Remembrance, the largest single day of service for the nation’s landscape and lawn care industry. Along with members of the National Association of Landscape Professionals (formerly PLANET), the national trade association for landscape and lawn care industry professionals, Spring-Green staff, franchise owners and their families donated their time, equipment and products to beautify and care for Arlington National Cemetery.
“It just means a lot for me to be able to dedicate my time and energy to such an important part of American history and to remember the sacrifice all of these people made.” – Tom Warfel
“I am proud to say Spring-Green has participated in this event every year since its inception,” said Tom Warfel, franchise business consultant of the Spring-Green support center and a veteran of the U.S. Marines. “It just means a lot for me to be able to dedicate my time and energy to such an important part of American history and to remember the sacrifice all of these people made.”
Some of the Spring-Green franchise owners and employees that participated included Travis Snead (former Marine and owner of two franchises in North Carolina) and his family, Scott Garcia and Jerome Johnson (franchise owner and field service professional, respectively, from Raleigh, North Carolina), and Frank Marshall (a franchise manager in Virginia).
Snead, one of Spring-Green’s newest franchise owners, shared how he appreciated not only the chance to diversify his existing business through Spring-Green, but also the wealth of experience his fellow franchise owners offer. “As the leader, you should be able to set the example. Being in the Marine Corps, that was what I was taught,” he said. Snead sees this same ethos in Spring-Green. “You show people what you can do then they will follow you. Spring-Green has 40 years of experience that will guide you in the right direction.”
Spring-Green and the Need for Franchise Opportunities for Veterans
As tens of thousands of servicemen and women return from deployment, expanded opportunities are needed to ensure veterans and their families can transition into the civilian economy. With its rapid training opportunities, scalability and need for operational execution and excellence, franchising provides an ideal career path to enable returning veterans to become leaders of and productive participants in the U.S. economy. IFA’s VetFran® program helps returning service members access franchise opportunities through training, financial assistance and industry support. Spring-Green proudly participates in the VetFran® program to offer lawn care franchise opportunities for veterans.
To help offset some of the costs of buying into a franchise for qualified military veterans, Spring-Green applies up to $5,000 of the initial franchise fee to be used towards start-up expenses that Spring-Green designates or approves.
Since Renewal & Remembrance started in 1997, it has grown from a small event to a day of service with more than 400 volunteers from 25 states working together. In 2015, volunteers applied 80 tons of lime to 181.8 acres and 22.6 tons of gypsum to 86.5 acres; aerated 44.8 acres of turf; installed cabling and bracing for two trees; provided lightning protection for seven trees; and updated the irrigation systems for the Receiving Vault, the President William Howard Taft Memorial Site and the National Mall. Spring-Green is proud to have contributed to honoring our veterans and the upkeep of our national treasures.
Learn more about the franchise opportunities we offer for veterans—discover Spring-Green Lawn Care franchises today.