Simi's Safe Harbor East gets charitable landscape makeover
Haven for rape victims getting new look thanks to contractors associaton

The California Landscape Contractors Association has chosen Safe Harbor East in Simi Valley as the recipient of an "extreme landscape makeover" as part of the organization's charitable work.

The association is a nonprofit trade organization of licensed landscape and landscape-related contractors throughout the state of California.

The association invited nonprofit and communitybased organizations to submit a proposal for their program, including a description of the need for landscaping and how it would benefit the agency.

Safe Harbor East, a multidisciplinary interview and advocacy center for child physical and child and adult sexualassault victims, submitted a proposal describing the loss of a 100-year-old tree last year that shaded the front yard and made the outside look welcoming.

The organization had no funds to replant the tree or to add any plants or landscaping to the front of the building.

Verdant Landscaping was in charge of the project landscape design, and First Impressions Landscaping also provided assistance.

About 30 people participated in pruning backyard fruit trees and cleanup of the grounds in January.

A new irrigation system and a pondless waterfall were also installed.

A number of landscape contractors donated most of the materials, and all of the labor was donated, with employees of the participating association members providing their own crews.

The house was rehabilitated by Home Aid, the philanthropic arm of the Building Industry Association.

The interior renovations were a project of the Simi Valley Chamber of Commerce.

"Now, when families come to Safe Harbor East, they will be comforted by the inside and the outside of our facility," said Jacquie Richardson, program coordinator. "It's really awesome what they've done."

For information on the Safe Harbor Landscape Project, call Shari Collins, president of the Ventura County Chapter of CLCA, at (805) 552-9457.

Steve Westerfield, project manager, can be reached at (805) 584-0971.