Field Report: News, Trends, Cool Stuff
BY LAUREN HEARTSILL DOWDLE
BUILDING A FUTURE
Fun day draws a new generation to landscaping
H
ow do you attract new
people to an industry with
an aging workforce? That
was the question David Demby
of David’s Landscaping and Design in Erie, Pennsylvania, found
himself asking a couple of years
ago. He felt the best method of
informing people about great
careers in landscaping and construction was to put the word
out – in a big way.
So, Demby pitched the idea of
a “Construction Fun Day” to the
mayor’s office, equipment dealers
and volunteers. As part of the
town’s annual “Celebrate Erie”
event held during the summer,
Demby and his friends brought
more than a dozen machines to
the event and turned half a city
block into a career fair and Kids’
Children got an
upclose look at
the equipment
in the Kids’
PlayZone.
PlayZone, an area that allowed
them to check out the landscaping equipment first hand.
The event didn’t just attract
young children, says event planner Laura Schaaf, assistant to
Mayor Joseph E. Sinnott. “David’s
original idea was to engage older
children and teens interested in
career exploration,” she says.
“The three-day event presented a
unique opportunity.”
Demby says an army of volunteers helped pull off the gathering. “Many of the local dealers
– Bobcat, Case, Caterpillar and
Kubota – participated by bringing equipment,” he says. “We let
“THE KIDS LOVE
THE EQUIPMENT.
IT WILL SIT IN
THEIR MINDS FOR
A LONG TIME.”
the kids crawl all over them and
blow the horns. We even had a
Peterbilt there with a sleeper.”
Demby’s company gave away a
free landscape design, and there
were giveaways for the children,
May 2012 / TOTAL LANDSCAPE CARE 13