Tim Abrahams, Abrahams Lawn Service Inc.
Tell us how Abrahams’ Lawn Service came to be?
I started mowing lawns in the downtown Silver Spring area off Dale Drive where I grew up at about age 12. Built the business up during high school and continued while at University of Maryland. After college I got a real job and hated it! So I started doing landscaping full time.
What inspired you to make serving our community a part of the fabric of your business?
When my son started kindergarten at Sligo Creek Elementary around 2005, I noted the grounds where in terrible shape. The playground field was pretty much dirt (no grass) and the flower beds around the school where a mess. So I asked around and spoke to the principal and the PTA and organized beautification days. Another parent, Tori Hall, was a great help and would help organize things. I would show up with truck loads of mulch, plants and manpower.
What are some of the projects you’ve done for our community?
Abrahams Lawn Service has done a variety of projects at Sligo Creek Elementary, Silver Spring International MIddle School, Northwood High School and Sligo Creek Golf Course. I have donated mulch, flowers, trees and grass seed for different projects. Most of these projects have been landscape maintenance projects around the school and, of course, spring and fall clean-ups , overseeding fields. planting trees. I also volunteer a lot with the Boy Scouts and help where I can. For example, I mow the fields at the Boy Scout camp and have done a number of improvement projects there. I am also an assistant scoutmaster with Troop 52.
What has been your favorite project so far?
One of my favorite projects was plowing the snow on the Sligo Creek Elementary playground a few years back when we got three or four big snowstorms in a row. There were a couple of feet of snow on the blacktop playground and the teachers couldn’t take the kids out for recess. I think the kids were getting cabin fever. I came out with my son Cooper and we plowed the playground with one of our snow trucks. All the teachers were very grateful the kids could go out and play again. The other project was planting shade trees on the playground at Sligo Creek Elementary. I love walking by there now and seeing these now-big trees doing their job providing shade for the kids while they play.
What is the biggest challenge when landscaping for kids and teens?
I don’t think we have ever really had a problem or big challenges. I just try to keep all the kids busy. When you dump a giant truckload of mulch and give each group of kids a wheel barrel and a bunch of shovels, they seem to have a great time getting dirty.
What has been one of your favorite responses to seeing the improvements you’ve helped make?
I like the feedback from the kids and parents at the end of the day when things go from being a mess to looking beautiful. I think the kids take great pride that they helped. I had been at pick-up after school days after a beautification project and overhear kids coming out of the school telling their classmates, “I planted those flowers” or “we put all that mulch down!”
Over the years, approximately how much time and resources have you invested in our community?
It’s hard to tell how much time I have put in but probably hundreds of hours of myself and my employees. I have donated dozens of truckloads of mulch, top soil, grass seed and many flowers.
Do you have any advice for people or businesses interested in sharing their talents with our local schools?
I think it’s great for anyone that owns a business to try to reach out to the local schools and somehow volunteer time or your services. It’s rewarding, helps the community and gets kids interested in different career opportunities. I like to think that maybe some kid might now want to go into landscaping after spending a day out planting trees with us.