For immediate release

October 15, 2010

KPU horticulture students’ yard makeover rallies community to help needy family

(METRO VANCOUVER, B.C.) For the fourth year in a row, KPU horticulture students partnered with Cornerstone Church and gave the Beaudoin family in Port Moody a home renovation makeover last week.

Chantal Beaudoin is a single mother with a 10-year-old son, whose aging home in Port Moody was in desperate need of repair. Compounded by her serious mobility problems, the result of a train accident six years ago, modifying her house and landscape for improved safety and accessibility was critical to the Beaudoin family.

Similar to the television show “Extreme Makeover Home Edition,” the Beaudoin family was sent away for a week while KPU and Cornerstone Church completely renovated their house and yard. Over the course of two days, 25 KPU turf management students volunteered their skills and time in the midst of a busy midterm week to give the Beaudoin family a functional and esthetic outdoor space. Leading their fellow KPU horticulture students in this challenge, Alyssa Chuback, Alexis Weissler and Fred Tucker developed a yard design and worked diligently to secure donations and materials of over $9,000 from nine organizations in the turf and landscape industry.

“KPU horticulture students gave 110 per cent to this makeover project, working tirelessly to show their compassion for a deserving family,” commented Stan Kazymerchyk, KPU turf management instructor. “They demonstrated hard work, respect, cooperation, creativity and showed excited smiles throughout the whole process. I am very proud of everything our students were able to accomplish.”

On the first day of construction, 11 KPU turf management students worked on the Beaudoin’s home as they tilled compacted soil, integrated compost and installed a premium back lawn complete with an irrigation system. On the day of completion and final reveal, a crew of 15 students concluded the project while impressing the Beaudoin family with a beautiful yard that was built in such a short time. Details of this project include: 

• A showcase front yard of perennials, trees, bulbs and mulch 
• Meticulous grading and installation of paver stone patio 
• Accessible raised garden planter boxes with arbour with drip irrigation 
• Beautiful border bank of perennials, waterfall and covered hammock

KPU’s yard makeover projects from the previous three years are still being kept in great condition. The families think of their new yards as soothing, peaceful sanctuaries and have continued to improve their yards even further. These yard makeover projects evidently bring a strong, positive impact in people’s lives.

KPU’s School of Horticulture provides students with opportunities in greenhouse and nursery production; investigations into forest infestation by insects and fungi; and research into environmentally safe practices of weed and insect-free urban grass surfaces, parks and home gardens. For more information, visit: kpu.ca/hort

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For more information about this story, contact:
Stan Kazymerchyk
Instructor, Turfgrass Management
Tel: 604-599-3295
stan.kazymerchyk@kpu.ca

OR

For more information about KPU’s horticulture programs, contact:
David Davidson
Associate Dean, School of Horticulture
Tel: 604.599.3259
david.davidson@kpu.ca

OR

For more information about KPU, contact:
Joanne Saunders
Director, Marketing & Communications
Tel: 604.599.2243
joanne.saunders@kpu.ca