Industry Leader Makes Donation to College's Horticulture Program

A recent donation from a branch of the nation's largest full-service landscaping firm helped Pennsylvania College of Technology students build a walkway to the conifer garden at the college's School of Natural Resources Management.

The $750 check was delivered by Fred Barberra, a designer/estimator with the Norristown office of ValleyCrest Landscape Maintenance, part of the California-based ValleyCrest Landscape Companies.

"We value our relationship with you and your campus and it is with great pleasure that we can support your department," ValleyCrest officials said in a letter that accompanied the contribution. "Our employees are our most valued assets and we recognize that some of the best are groomed on your campus."

Barberra visited Carl J. Bower Jr.'s Computer Landscape Design class on March 20, meeting with students and demonstrating new DynaSCAPE software for landscape designers.

ValleyCrest also was represented at the recent Career Fair in the Schneebeli Earth Science Center near Allenwood, talking with students about summer internships and full-time employment opportunities in landscape technology: turfgrass emphasis; ornamental horticulture: landscape technology emphasis; and ornamental horticulture: plant production emphasis.

The donation marks the companies' second such display of generosity. Bower, a member of the school's horticulture faculty, was handed a $1,000 check as he left a 2008 ValleyCrest corporate summit in California.

"We appreciate the support that ValleyCrest shows to our program. Even in tough times, being able to help support our program like this is encouraging," said Bower, noting the money went toward supplies to build the commemorative walkway. "What better way to spend it than by educating our students? More-informed and better-trained students become more-prepared and productive employees."

With 60 years' experience and 11,000 employees nationwide, ValleyCrest Landscape Companies does business in 32 states from more than 150 branches.

For more information about majors in the School of Natural Resources Management, visit on the Web or call 570-320-8038. For general information about Penn College, visit online , e-mail or call toll-free 800-367-9222.