CASS (Curb Appeal Student Style) 2: Payne Project
Apr 2, 2012
Beaverton, OR

It all started in Mrs. Evans' class at Meadow Park Middle School, as Robin Quon (project founder & manager) and Deb Rossi (landscape architect) spent time with students to come up with design ideas for Mr. & Mrs. Payne's front yard. About 70 volunteers, including Mrs. Evans, Principal Maurizio, and many students from MPMS, worked all weekend to completely transform the front yard, along with several repairs inside the home. Here's the short story...

Mr. & Mrs. Payne are an elderly Beaverton couple who have lived in their home for 47 years. Mr. Payne has had several back surgeries and gets around with the aid of his walker. Mrs. Payne is only able to do light gardening.....and they'd been spending money that should be going to medicine and food on having their huge lawn mowed every summer. This make-over eliminated the need for that mowing, while giving them a lovely yard & garden to look at from their home. A very neat mix of certain native grasses that don't grow more than about 3" tall with alyssum and some clovers was used for their much smaller "lawn" area. We also created a handicap-access ramp for Mr. Payne's use with his walker, and paver walkways for easier and more attractive access. This project was valued at approximately $7,500, but only cost the Paynes a few boxes of granola bars, cookies, & drinking water for the volunteers! What a blessing! We couldn't have done it without our sponsoring volunteer groups and contributing organizations!

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