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February 12, 2012

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Groups provide free landscaping to families in need

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Mona Shield Payne / Special to the Sun

Contractors plant trees and shrubbery in the backyard of Tiffany Egbert, 24, Friday as part of a free lawn make-over for the 2nd Annual Operation Green program sponsored by the Nevada State Contractors Board and Nevada Landscape Association. Egbert’s husband, Specialist Kevin Egbert, is currently serving in Afghanistan with the Army National Guard 1221st Calvary.

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Saturday, Nov. 14, 2009 | 2:05 a.m.

Annual Operation Green Program

As the recipient of a free lawn-makeover, Tiffany Egbert, 24, stands at the edge of her dirt front yard smiling while holding her one-year-old daughter, Maeve, as contractors renovate her yard Friday as part of the 2nd Annual Operation Green program sponsored by the Nevada State Contractors Board and Nevada Landscape Association. Egbert's husband, Specialist Kevin Egbert, is currently serving in Afghanistan with the Army National Guard 1221st Calvary. Launch slideshow »

A look of disbelief and shock came over Rose Maria Gordon, 78, as she stepped out of her house in Las Vegas Friday morning to see her yard being landscaped for the second annual Operation Green Program.

“Oh my god, I can’t believe this,” she said while covering her mouth with her hands.

She began visualizing her new yard and said she could sit out on the new stone walkway to watch the children in the neighborhood play. She said she is excited to show off her new yard to her children when they come to visit.

“When people come see it, it will make them happy,” Gordon said.

Audio Clip

  • Tiffany Egbert talks about the shock of finding out she won a yard make-over from the Nevada State Contractors Board and the Nevada Landscape Association's second annual Operation Green Program.
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Gordon is one of the winners chosen for this year’s program, which provides free landscaping for people in need, organized by the Nevada State Contractors Board and the Nevada Landscape Association.

Gordon said she applied for the program because she hasn’t been able to go outside and work in the yard because she has emphysema and severe asthma.

“I have never imagined the extent of this. I just thought they would clean it up a bit,” Gordon said.

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Mona Shield Payne / Special to the Sun

Rose Maria Gordon, 78, describes her reaction when she learned the news that she was the recipient of a free lawn make-over as part of the the 2nd Annual Operation Green program sponsored by the Nevada State Contractors Board and Nevada Landscape Association.

Audio Clip

  • Rose Maria Gordon talks about the Nevada State Contractors Board and the Nevada Landscape Association's make-over of her front yard.
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Gordon’s friend of 40 years, Carolyn Smith, said Gordon deserves the yard makeover because of everything she has done for friends and neighbors.

“She done so much for others,” Smith said. “People in other states are better off because of her.”

Chris Courtney from the Nevada Landscape Association said the program helps give back to the community. He said he has been a part of a lot of volunteer landscaping projects and the recipients are always appreciative.

The program is held in Southern and Northern Nevada, with two people chosen from each area. Tiffany and Kevin Egbert of Henderson were the other Southern Nevada recipients.

Kevin Egbert, 28, is a staff sergeant with the Nevada Army National Guard and is stationed in Afghanistan. Tiffany Egbert, 24, is a stay-at-home mother of 1-year-old daughter Maeve.

“The yard was awful,” Tiffany Egbert said. “I thought I’d never win. When I found out, I jumped around.”

She said she usually takes Maeve out to play for 20 minutes every day, but they end up playing in the dirt because there’s no grass in the yard. She said her husband has been meaning to fix up the yard but hasn’t had the time or opportunity yet.

Courtney said landscape employees will be working all day for free. He said the goal is to do tree renovation, put in artificial grass and create a paved walkway at the Egbert home.

“Being a military wife, I don’t personally do much, and you just kind of stay cooped up in the house,” Tiffany Egbert said. “That can be kind of depressing after awhile, so to be able to go outside and play with my daughter and get some fresh air is probably going to help with the loneliness a lot.”

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