Regional roundup, Dec. 7, 2009

Massachusetts
The Retailers Association of Massachusetts (RAM) has named Mahoney’s Garden Center as one of the state’s top retailers, honoring it with the Retailer of the Year Award, WickedLocal reported. The family-run garden center has been a one-stop shop for garden lovers since 1959, when its first shop was opened in Winchester.

New Jersey
Williams Nursery in Westfield, N.J., is participating in the Trees for Troops program that lets you buy a Christmas tree for a military family, Westfield Patch reported. Nationally, the program is expected to provide more than 17,000 free trees. "We are very excited to be a part of this program," said David Williams, partner at Williams Nursery, "Also, for every tree that a consumer purchases, we will contribute $5 to the Christmas SPIRIT Foundation, which implements the Trees for Troops program and other programs for kids, families and the environment."

New York
Ulbrich’s Tree Farm and Garden Center in Alden, N.Y., will be opening its doors for “the big dogs,” DogChannel.com reported. As part of a fundraiser, 20 Newfoundlands will pull sleighs, carriages and wagons of freshly cut Christmas trees for those who make a minimum donation of $5 to the Alden/Marilla Community Food Pantry.

Urban Roots, a community-owned garden center in Buffalo, N.Y., continues to be profitable, the Route to Recovery blog reported. To raise money, the store’s founders asked local residents to pay $100 each in return for membership in the center, which comes with discounts. Some 115 locals chipped in $100 each in start-up capital. The center has been profitable almost since the moment it opened in January 2007 and now has 562 paid members. It is the first such center in the country.

Ohio
Grandma’s Gardens in Waynesville, Ohio, is participating in the Trees for Troops program again this year, according to Dayton Daily News. Last year, its employees and customers donated more than 100 fresh-cut Christmas trees to military families in need of a little holiday spirit.

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