Ultimate Backyard Makeover 2010 – Honoring a Local Hero!

This past Monday, we began shooting the second “WTIC Fox 61 Ultimate Backyard Makeover”. I was fortunate again this year to be asked to serve as landscape designer/project manager. We have a great group of vendors participating this year, and a very nice family to work for. The Borovicka’s of Vernon, CT. will receive a wonderful new backyard, but they have recently suffered a tragic loss. This is their story.

The recently finished addition.

John Borovicka was a master carpenter with the Carpenters Union, Local 43. He was a doting father to Bethany and Kimmie, father-in-Law to Sid, and loving husband to Linda. He plied his trade during the day building bridges and working on various construction projects throughout Connecticut for O&G Industries. On nights and weekends over the years, John built the house the family lived in, the deck and gazebo they dined and relaxed on, and landscaped the yard they played in. John’s efforts didn’t stop with the family home though, as he regularly helped out neighbors, friends and family with any project they needed help on. He volunteered with Christmas in April, his Church, drove the High School Band instruments on trips, and brought his daughters to dance class, even dancing with them every once in a while. John was proud family man, and a devoted community volunteer. And, unbeknownst to him, he was soon to be a grandfather. Last fall John began working on the last part of the yard.

The patio area.

After recently completing an addition in which they placed a sauna, John had intended to construct a patio and sitting wall just outside. He prepped the area, did some drainage work, and put away his tools as winter began to set in. The plan was to get right back at it this spring, but tragically in November, John lost his life in a workplace accident. The patio and steps would remain unfinished, the family would lose the center of their world, and the community would lose a hero.

Here is where our story begins, as Kimmie Borovicka napped on the couch with the TV on. She awoke to hear the announcer say something about a Backyard Makeover contest, but didn’t hear the details. She ran to tell her mother and sister, and after a thorough search, they found the Fox61 website and sent in a picture and an essay. All this, one week before the contest began.

Bethany, Linda, and Kimmie, outside the addition.

The Borovickas entry was selected as one of three finalists, and their story was posted on the website to allow fans to vote for the winner. After a week of voting the Borovickas, with over half of the vote, were declared the winners. In just two short weeks, the Borovickas, still grieving from their loss, went from wondering what they would do with this unfinished area, to welcoming in our crews to carry on John’s work. It is our hope that what we provide, will in some small way give them comfort as they remember a great man.

In upcoming posts, we’ll find out exactly what the Borovickas have won, meet the contractors that will finish the work John started, and create their Ultimate Backyard.

I hope you all have a hero to lean on,

Scott

www.blueheronlandscapes.com