April 23, 2014, Phoenix, Ariz.—Water efficiency and sustainability, education, and safety were the focus of Ewing’s second annual PRIDE Project, a way the company gives back to the community.
On April 15, more than 350 Ewing Irrigation employees and partners converged at St. Philip the Apostle Catholic School in Dallas to renovate the complete campus irrigation system and build a football field, community garden and outdoor entertainment area.
Ewing selected the school as this year’s recipient because it didn’t have the resources to construct a safe field for the students to play on.
“As part of our community outreach efforts, we select a project in a community with a need for what we can provide,” said Warren Gorowitz, Ewing’s Vice President of Sustainability. “St. Philip showed an enthusiasm for our interest in the project from the beginning, and everyone from the school we came into contact with had a great appreciation for the things we were doing.”
After months of preparation and planning from Ewing’s North Texas team and our partners Landscapes Unlimited, Mesa Verde Landscape, Precision Pavers and Environs Group, the prep work was done and the four main projects were ready to be completed.
With the school’s coach and physical education teacher, George West, hoping to bring football back to the community, Ewing jumped in to repair the multi-purpose athletic field, installing an 8-zone irrigation system with central control, new sod for a flat, safe surface to play, and numerous other improvements such as repainting the bleachers, field and foul lines, and the installation of tackling dummies and a snack bar.
Ewing and partners also built 10 garden beds for the school and church community to grow vegetables and provide a hands-on learning experience for the students. Principal Carol Catalano said the school is planning to donate what it has grown to the St. Vincent de Paul Society, which provides hot meals to deserving families.
Intended to give the church and school a place to congregate, volunteers installed an outdoor entertainment area complete with paver patio, landscape lighting and an outdoor sound system.Ewing and partners also performed a campus-wide irrigation system renovation at the school and church to make it more water efficient.
“The highlight of the day was when the students came out to say ‘thank you’ and wave as we finished our work,” said Doug York, Ewing Irrigation President. “This is why we do what we do.”
The PRIDE Project also gave Ewing employees from across the country a chance to work together toward a common goal while giving back.Additional partners who donated materials and labor also included: Landscape Products, Inc., Hunter Industries, Baseline Systems, Pavestone, Sunbelt Rentals, Corona Tools, North Texas Landscaping, Majestic Outdoor Lighting, Lawn Master Irrigation, Moon Visions, Philips Hadco, World Class Paints, WWIP Inc., AquaSmart Pro, Bonus Crop, Graco Paint Machines, NDS, Service Wire, and JM Eagle.
About Ewing: A Premier Supplier and Quality Education Provider
Ewing is the largest family-owned supplier of landscape and water management products in the country. Ewing offers commercial and residential irrigation supplies, water management and sustainable solutions, landscape and turf products, hardscape, landscape lighting, water features, erosion control, industry-leading seminars and more to professionals serving the landscaping, sports turf, golf, agricultural and industrial industries.
About St. Philip the Apostle Catholic School
Since 1954, St. Philip the Apostle Catholic School has educated hundreds of diverse students in academic and religious instruction. Serving approximately 200 students, St. Philip The Apostle Catholic School’s mission is to provide educational opportunities that nurture each student’s individual gifts to achieve the intellectual, spiritual, cultural, social and physical development of each student. In addition to a wide array of academic opportunities, students also have access to sports, music, Scouts, faith activities and more. www.stphilipcatholicschool.org
Note to the Editor: Photos from the 2014 PRIDE Project at St. Philip the Apostle Catholic School are available for download on Ewing's Flickr account. Ewing's PRIDE Project video can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVVeCQLmkCA.
Contact: Jennifer Klemmetson
800.343.9464 | 602.437.9530
Email: jklemmetson@ewingirrigation.com
www.ewingirrigation.com
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