Lawn Project Showcases the Importance of Community Green Space

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Oct. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The TurfMutt Foundation will officially rededicate the Great Lawn in Louisville's award-winning Waterfront Park on the Ohio River on Wednesday October 16. This signature space will be renamed The TurfMutt Foundation Great Lawn as part of the Foundation's $1 million, 10-year sponsorship of Waterfront Park, expanding the Foundation's ongoing investment with its longtime host city.  

The dedication and unveiling of the TurfMutt Great Lawn signs will be held Wednesday morning, October 16 at 6:40 a.m. just in advance of the Mulligan 5K Fun Run & Walk taking participants across the Ohio River on Louisville's Big Four® Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge during Equip Exposition. The Great Lawn's namesake, Mulligan the TurfMutt, a real-life rescue dog and "spokesdog" of the Foundation, will be on hand for the event.

"Supporting revitalized green spaces is the next evolutionary step of TurfMutt's education efforts around the benefits and importance of family yards, parks, gardens, and natural habitats," says Kris Kiser President and CEO of the TurfMutt Foundation, the education arm of the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) and award-winning trade show Equip Exposition which takes place in Louisville every October. "We encourage all cities to embrace green space as a keystone amenity in their communities."

Since launching as an educational program to promote the benefits of the managed landscape fifteen years ago, TurfMutt has become a global education platform, reaching more than 70 million students, teachers, and families with its message that nature starts at their back door and educating future generations about the importance of the managed landscape. 

The TurfMutt Foundation Great Lawn will showcase how managed landscapes enhance a community's well-being and environmental health, and advance outdoor learning and living experiences.

Waterfront Park is dedicated to reclaiming Louisville's waterfront, connecting people to the river, and ensuring the waterfront remains an asset that can be enjoyed by the community forever. Once a blighted wasteland of industrial uses, Waterfront Park is now a treasured and vibrant community green space. As downtown Louisville's most visited destination with 2.4 million guests and 300+ events annually, Waterfront Park is a regional destination for locals and travelers alike. The park has been named a "best riverwalk" and "best urban park and trail" by several organizations including Fodor's Travel, USA Today 10Best® Reader's Choice (2021 – 2024), LEO Weekly Reader's Choice (2017 – 2023), Men's Journal, and others.

"We are grateful for this tremendous partnership with the TurfMutt Foundation, which comes at a very special time as we celebrate the 25^th anniversary of Waterfront Park," said Deborah Bilitski, President of Waterfront Park. "The TurfMutt Foundation's commitment to stewardship of green spaces for the benefit of all will help to ensure the newly renamed TurfMutt Foundation Great Lawn continues to be one of our city's crown jewels and that Waterfront Park remains beautiful, welcoming, and accessible to everyone." 

Last fall, the Foundation sponsored the creation of Mulligan's Bark Park, an urban dog park in downtown Louisville. Equip Exposition, the international landscape, outdoor living, and equipment exposition, brings in more than $25 million a year to the city – one of its top revenue-generating events.

To learn more about the TurfMutt Foundation, visit TurfMutt.com, where visitors can download the TurfMutt Foundation's International Backyarding Fact Book here.

For more, sign up for Mutt Mail, a monthly e-newsletter with backyarding tips and all the news from the TurfMutt Foundation here. Look for Mulligan the TurfMutt on the CBS Lucky Dog television show on Saturday mornings.

Media contact
Debbi Mayster, Four Leaf PR on behalf of the TurfMutt Foundation, 240-988-6243, debbi@fourleafpr.com

About TurfMutt
TurfMutt, which is celebrating its 15^th anniversary in 2024, has reached more than 70 million children, educators and families since 2009. The Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) was the creative force behind TurfMutt and launched the TurfMutt Foundation. Championed by Foundation spokesdog, Mulligan the TurfMutt, and through education partners such as Weekly Reader, Discovery Education and Scholastic, TurfMutt has taught students and teachers how to "save the planet, one yard at a time." Today, TurfMutt is an official United States Green Building Council (USGBC^®) Education Partner and part of their global LEARNING LAB. TurfMutt has been an education resource at the U.S. Department of Education's Green Ribbon Schools, the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Green Apple, the Center for Green Schools, the Outdoors Alliance for Kids, the National Energy Education Development (NEED) project, Climate Change Live, Petfinder and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In 2017, the TurfMutt animated video series won the coveted Cynopsis Kids Imagination Award for Best Interstitial Series. TurfMutt's personal, home habitat was featured in the 2017-2020 Wildlife Habitat Council calendars. More information at www.TurfMutt.com.

About Waterfront Park
Waterfront Park is a treasured community asset and home to some of Louisville's most exciting celebrations. Once a wasteland of scrap yards and heavy industrial uses, Waterfront Park is now a vibrant green space that welcomes over 2.4 million visitors each year. As the most utilized urban park in the city, it's a place where Louisville comes together to celebrate our unique sense of community. Waterfront Park is a non-profit public park made possible by the generosity of Waterfront supporters. Learn more at ourwaterfront.org.

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SOURCE TurfMutt Foundation