We encourage anyone concerned about this to become a member, which costs only $20 annually per family.
- The primary budget of our non-profit organization is dedicated to contracted mowing by a landscaping company, at a steeply discounted (for Northern Virginia market) rate procured by open bid each year. From our membership funds and SterlingFest, we can afford 10 (ten) mowings a year.
- VDOT is required to mow only when median grass becomes so high that it obstructs drivers’ vision. In practice this leads to a neighborhood atmosphere of unsightly neglect, with 6 weeks or more between VDOT mowing. There is no HOA for much of Sterling Park. The median gets mowed by the Sterling Foundation ten times a year, by VDOT far less often.
- We also budget small one-time funds for ornamental grass cleanup, focused weed spraying, tree and shrub care, or other ad hoc tasks to keep the median healthy and beautiful year after year. The one-time efforts are run by member volunteers, with costs incurred for equipment rental or necessary materials only.
- Before and during the mowing season, member volunteers conduct quarterly litter cleanups. This helps the contracted landscapers to run their large equipment quickly, without obstacles, and also to save them time throughout.
- We must prioritize the mowing over other activities. Therefore, we have been able to add some local environmental and educational activities only as we have bandwidth, often in partnership with other volunteer organizations. The Helen Casey Memorial Butterfly Garden, 2017 Health and Wellness Fair, 2017 Project Clean Stream, and Teen Serve Camp work on Guilford Station are some of these.
- To contribute and find out more:
- Follow our Facebook
- Subscribe to our Newsletter (website footer, below)
- Attend a monthly meeting (info in the website footer)
