ATA's new service project, New Beginnings, will become a reality on Thursday, June 18th.  ATA members are encouraged to help participate in this new endeavor of ATA.  Come out and help build a field of dreams for some troubled teenage boys at the Gulf Coast Youth-Reach foster home in Summerdale, AL.  More details and directions are listed below.  Please let the ATA office know if you plan to participate as we will have lunch and refreshments available for all the volunteers.

 

The ATA office has been informed of some grant monies available for specialty crops.  The grant is exclusively "to enhance the competitiveness of Alabama grown speciality crops" of which turfgrass sod is now recognized.  We are asking our sod producers to send any ideas for this grant to our office by June 22nd so we will have time to prepare a proposal by the July 6th deadline.

 

 Remember, it is the time to apply for the ATA President's Award of Excellence.  There are four categories for this award:  Sports Complex, Golf Course, Landscape and Sod Farm.  Each winner will be awarded a plaque at the Annual Conference, receive free registration to the Conference and be featured in an issue of our magazine, Turf Times.  The application can be found on our website, www.alaturfgrass.org and will be printed in the next Turf Times magazine.  Just remember, we need 10 digital photos of your entry - so get busy taking pictures of your facility!

 

Again, thank you in advance for your help and support of the ATA's New Beginning project.  We hope to continue this service project each year depending on the success of this one.  Come out and use your talents to some underprivileged teens.  I look forward to seeing you on June 18th!