- March 15, 2005 Meeting Highlights:
- The meeting's Guest Speaker
was Randy Pickersgill, Superintendent of Parks & Grounds,
Forestry and Cemetery Divisions for the Town of Andover, Massachusetts.
Superintendent Pickersgill spoke about:
- Haverhill Lions Club Photo -
March 15, 2005 Guest Speaker Superintendent Randy Pickersgill,
Andover, Massachusetts Parks and Grounds, Forestry and Cemetery
Divisions, (center) with 2004-2005 Haverhill Lions President/PDG
John Pettis, Jr. (left) and Haverhill Melvin Jones Fellow Kenneth
Parker, Jr. (right).
- His general responsibilities
to oversee the entire town’s outside properties. Additionally,
he gave the Club a summary of his back-ground:
- Graduate of the University of
Massachusetts concentrating in Turf Management.
- Haverhill Country Club (Haverhill,
MA) Superintendent
- Meadow Brook Golf Club (Reading,
MA) Superintendent
- Instructor at the Essex Agricultural
& Technical Institute which was merged with North Shore Community
College in 1999.
- Topic for the evening: "The
Best 3 Things you can do for you lawn this spring for the Haverhill-Andover,
Massachusetts regions". Superintendent Pickersgill recommended
that once the snow melts, you should:
- Rake the lawn vigorously.
- De-thatch and vertical cut the
lawn
- Start a fertilization program
using a "rotary spreader" not a "drop spreader.
A good fertilizer for an existing lawn is: 20-10-10. NOTE: Be
sure to follow the label instructions and to follow all safety
recommendations.
- In addition to the above, Superintendent
Pickersgill talk about:
- New Lawns: The soil temperature
needs to be at a minimum of 50F degrees for seed germination
to occur.
- Crab Grass: For existing lawns
use a product like Halts in the spring. NOTE: Be sure to follow
the label instructions and to follow all safety recommendations.
(Do not reseed until alter in the summer or ideally in the fall.)
- Japanese Beetles: Timing is
critical. To control them, use a product that contain Merit during
the first week of May or early September. NOTE: Be sure to follow
the label instructions and to follow all safety recommendations.
- Aeration: Aerate in early May
or mid to late September to allow the the root systems to be
nourished.
- Automatic Irrigation Systems:
Using a watering system is the most efficient and effective way
to manage your lawns. Watering is generally only need for 10
minutes per day. 4 am is the best time to water.
- Lime: If your lawns PH level
is not in the 5.8 to 6.2 range, use lime. NOTE: Be sure to follow
the label instructions and to follow all safety recommendations.
- Graphic showing Andover's 350th
Anniversary Celebration logo in 1996. The logo has shows an American
Flag with the words "Home of America" underneath the
flag.
- Graphic showing Andover's 250th
Anniversary Celebration logo in 1896. The logo has an Native
American standing on a hill overlooking a lake and standing next
to the town seal.
- Superintendent Pickersgill was
invited to speak at our Club by Haverhill Melvin Jones Fellow
and Life Member Kenneth Parker, Jr.
- Haverhill Lions President/PDG
John Pettis, Jr. reminded the Club about the following District
33N upcoming events:
- The District Governor Testimonial
to be held at the Wyndam Hotel in Andover, Massachusetts on Saturday,
April 23, 2005. For more information, please contact VDG Wojtkiewicz
at (978) 263-3493 or clicking
here to e-mail: lion.louise@juno.com.
- The District 33N Thirteenth
Annual Journey for Sight Walkathon to be held on Sunday, April
24, 2005 at 10 a.m. at Horn Pond in Woburn, Massachusetts. For
more information, to please contact Lion Deborah McDonald at
(978) 777-1740 or by clicking
here to e-mail: pelts@comcast.net.
- Haverhill Lions President/PDG
John Pettis, Jr. reminded the Club about our Annual Street Collection
on Saturday, June 4, 2005. PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDARS AND PARTICIPATE.
We need all Club Members to make this event successful.
- Haverhill Lions President/PDG
John Pettis, Jr. informed the club that our recent $200.00 donation
to the Leader Dogs for the Blind from Michigan was accepted for
the airfare to supply a Haverhill resident their guide dog.
- Haverhill Lions President/PDG
John Pettis, Jr. reminded all Members to that we be taking nominations
for next year's officers at the April 5, 2005 regular meeting.
He has asked that all Past Presidents consider "stepping-up-to-plate"
in either an officer's or director's leadership role for next
year.
- IPP Jane Sweeney gave a update
on the comedy night that will be in the Spring 2005. Date will
be April 8, 2005 at Pat's Beef House, Haverhill, at 7:00 pm and
9:00 pm. IPP Jane indicated that East Coast Marketing, the firm
representing the Haverhill Lions Club, is in full swing their
marketing campaign.
- Lion Daniel Hickey, Jr. is coordinating
with the City of Haverhill services clubs to repair the current
Haverhill "Welcome Signs". The sign repair day will
take place in early May 2005. More details to follow.
- Lion Daniel Hickey, Jr. read
a thank you letter to the Club from the Haverhill High School
"Model United Nations Debate Team" thanking the Club
for our recent $500.00 donation to help sponsor them so that
the Team can attend the National High School Model United Nations
(UN) Competition in New York City, New York on March 9 though
15, 2005. "When Mr. Hickey gave us a check for $500.00 it
was much more than we ever expected......" the letter goes
on to say "This money helps us so much and we will not soon
forget it".
- Director Eric Powell presented
a letter from Haverhill's Rebuilding Together - Christmas in
April organization indicating that their event will be on Saturday,
April 30, 2005. Lion Eric reminded us that Rebuilding Together's
mission is to preserve and revitalize houses
and communities, assuring that low-income homeowners, from the
elderly and disabled to families with children, live in warmth,
safety and independence. Lion Eric will coordinate the Club's
efforts if the Club wishes to participate.
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