On Nov. 1, Come Alive Outside held its initial board meeting as a nonprofit organization, defining the strategic plan of the organization as it moves forward on its Come Alive Outside initiative.
Started by JP Horizons President Jim Paluch in 2011, Come Alive Outside aims to inspire professional landscape companies to play a more active role in reconnecting communities with “the great outdoors.” In its three-year tenure, more than 10,000 people across North America have participated in Come Alive Outside events and programs.
“The current scale of activity and engagement from individuals and organizations participating in Come Alive Outside programs has reached a level where it became clear that it was time to found an organization with its own governance and staff to continue to support and grow the movement,” said Andy Paluch, executive director of Come Alive Outside and former network coordinator of the initiative for JP Horizons.
Members of the nonprofit’s board of directors include:
- President Daniel Currin, president of Greenscape;
- VP Scott Wentworth, President, Wentworth Landscapes;
- Secretary Dwayne Ulrichs, director of sales and business development, Lurvey Landscape Supply;
- Treasurer Dave Heckel, owner, Padgett Business Services;
- Michael Albert, director of grants development, Right To Play;
- Rick Geise, director of marketing and brand manager, Nature Safe;
- Reese Nelson, Ph.D., Brigham Young University—Idaho;
- Sid Raisch, CEO, Advantage Development Systems-Horticultural Advantage; and
- Christy Webber, president, Christy Webber Landscapes.
Jim Paluch will continue to serve the organization and offer his expertise as the chair of the advisory board, supporting the nine members of the board of directors.
“It is thrilling to have such a fantastic group of people on the board to guide the growth of the Come Alive Outside movement going forward,” Jim Paluch said. “There has never been a better or more important time for all of us to work together to get people off the couch and back outside.”
Come Alive Outside programs include the Come Alive Outside Design Challenge, which creates the opportunity for college, high school, elementary and preschool students to work together with landscape professionals to design and build engaging outdoor learning environments at schools and childcare facilities.
The Design Challenge is currently being operated in Canada in partnership with Landscape Ontario and the support of The Grounds Guys, LS Training System, Compass Creative and the Ontario Horticultural Trades Foundation. The program is being operated in the United States in partnership with JP Horizons and the support of The Davey Tree Expert Co. Students from 10 colleges and universities across North America are currently participating in the program.
