Orlando VA’s vibrant and meticulously manicured grounds serve as a testament to the dedication and hard work of its grounds crew. While their daily responsibilities primarily revolve around maintaining the lush landscape, the team has been investing time and effort into special projects, enhancing the facility’s environment for the well-being of the Veterans it serves.
Underneath the swaying palm trees and surrounded by manicured lawns, the team of 13 skilled individuals takes pride in their crucial role.
Leading the charge is Joshua Cash, Marine Corps Veteran and supervisor of the grounds crew. “Our work extends beyond landscaping. It’s about creating an environment that fosters healing and peace for those who have served our country,” Cash said.
The diverse team of individuals with varied backgrounds has numerous ongoing projects aimed at enhancing the overall experience for Veterans, including revitalizing lawns, laying down new mulch and installing rock around the Lake Nona fence.
“Our goal is to transform outdoor spaces into therapeutic retreats.”
One of their notable projects is the replacement of walkway pavers with concrete on the community living center pathways leading to the main facility. This improvement ensures residents have a smooth and safe path to travel on. Another task, pictured above, is a sod-laying project.
While the crew’s tasks are physically demanding, members find deep satisfaction in their work. “Knowing that our efforts contribute to a positive atmosphere for Veterans motivates us. It’s not just a job. It’s a service we’re honored to provide,” said Christopher Delcore, Marine Corps Veteran and longtime groundskeeper.
Maintaining 155 acres is no small feat, but this team is more than up for the task. They don’t just stop at routine maintenance. They also provide support for facility events and work collaboratively with event coordinators to make sure the grounds are well prepared for any event. Orlando VA’s grounds crew works tirelessly to maintain the facility as a way of honoring the Veterans who live here and those who come here for their care.
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It’s great to see and read about people who still care about others !
Semper Fi Brother and to all the other employees who care.
I truly wish that our VA’s here in CT were that caring of our mental well-being when it comes to how things look around the facilities that we’re expected to come to when we need care. Because honestly when things look peaceful then our anxiety tends to drop and all and all it just makes the experiences a heck of a lot less stressful. Like here I have to drive into a large city just to go to one of our VA’s and there’s an awful lot of covid trailers still outside the building’s and now what’s even worse is that their tearing up the parking lot to go and try and build a multi-story parking garage. So even though with progress their comes strains and inconveniences. The sad fact is that our VA’s here are not the cleanest and their in pretty crappy cities to say the least and in my honest opinion it really makes me want to avoid going all together. Because I hate cities and I am not a big fan of how we’re treated here at our VA’s with how some of the staff that work at these facilities are from the local areas and they just seem to not really care about much. Between the girls that sit behind the counters filing their nails to not answering the phones when we’re trying to call and their just sitting their shooting the breeze. That kind of stuff makes you not even want to come to your appointments because you’re treated like somebody who doesn’t matter because the staff doesn’t care. But anyway as far as Orlando VA’s concerned, I applaud yall for caring enough about how your facilities look and the way it plays a big factor in our mental well-being. So I tip my hat to the Orlando VA and I throw a salute ? to the Marine in charge of the grounds crew as well as the crew themselves ?.I wish that I could get my wife to want to leave this cesspool of a state and head south where it’s warmer and nicer with friendlier people. Semper Fi
Good gob Marine keep up the good work.
I enjoyed the article very much, I think it is well written and conveys a job that is meaningful and rewarding while being helpful to the patients ant their visitors. Made me want to help out!