DAMARISCOTTA — Every year the Maine Landscape and Nursery Association (MELNA) selects a local nonprofit to provide their skills and expertise through a day of volunteer work. This year on Friday, September 18, more than a dozen members of MELNA built gardens and walkways at Stepping Stone Housing, in Damariscotta. The project was organized by MELNA’s executive director, Don Sproul, and managed by Lee Skillin of Skillin’s Greenhouses, Inc. while more than 20 member landscape companies contributed to the project through donations or labor.

Stepping Stone Housing is a nonprofit organization that provides affordable transitional and permanent housing to families whose income is less than a livable wage. Their goal is for this housing to be a “stepping stone” to a better life. Stepping Stone owns four properties including Blue Haven which currently houses 11 people, and where MELNA completed their work.

“Each year our members look forward to working side-by-side to make a difference in our community,” said Sproul, in a MELNA news release. “The landscapes we’ve built have helped nonprofits across the state increase their usable space, allowing areas for play and tranquility.” 

Previous recipients of MELNA charity work projects have included the Travis Mills Foundation in Rome, Camp Sunshine in Casco, and Ft. Williams Park in Cape Elizabeth.                            

About MELNA

The Maine Landscape & Nursery Association (MELNA) is a non-profit professional trade association with members in all aspects of the green industry including designers and contractors, nurseries, garden centers, maintenance experts, turf growers, educators, researchers and other horticultural industry professionals.  For more than 50 years, the Maine Landscape and Nursery Association has served as a conduit for true landscape and nursery professionals to stay at the forefront of best practices in the green industry. MELNA serves its members and the public through education programs, legislative advocacy and public awareness programs.  MELNA annually produces the Maine Flower Show in Portland each Spring and runs the “Plant Something” marketing campaign that stresses the financial, health and environmental benefits of planting and gardening.