May/June 2017 | The Davey Bulletin 23
REPLACING TREES, RESTORING FAITH
Few people understand the connection
we develop with our trees as well as
Davey employees.
That's why when vandals maliciously
cut down nine red maple trees in the
yard of a Detroit couple, our Northeast
Detroit Residential/Commercial office
stepped up to help.
Michelle and David Atkinson walked
into their backyard one night to find
the nine, mature trees – each close
to 30 feet tall – felled. When word
got to Justin Burger, district manager
of the Northeast Detroit R/C office,
he volunteered to help clean up the
downed trees at no cost.
"This couple just bought this house
a few months earlier, and the mature
trees were a big selling point for
them," Burger said.
Davey's Richard Burback, sales arbor-
ist, John Laporte, trimmer, Zach
La Combe, spray technician, Matt
Regoni, foreman, Mike Sweeney,
landscape foreman, helped clear the
fallen trees. But the generosity didn't
end there. The office also donated and
installed several replacement trees for
the couple from the Davey Nursery.
"The Atkinsons have been very happy
with our generous support," Burger
said. "We actually got a couple of
additional leads from news coverage
of the story as well, so overall there
has been a lot of good recognition."
Top photos: Davey's Northeast
Detroit R/C office volunteered
to clean up a couple's yard after
vandals cut down nine mature
red maples. The story drew
the attention of local Detroit
TV stations.
Bottom photo, pictured from
left to right: John Laporte, Zach
La Combe, Matt Regoni, Mike
Sweeney and Richard Burback.
The safety department asked us to
remind you that, while unapproved
for working, it's OK to wear your
hood under your helmet to stay
warm while standing still for
photos.
