| A Recap of Clean Your Green |
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Clean Your Green started in 2006 after IBEX's Head of the Herd, Darryl Stewart, decided to take action and clean up a neglected patch of no-man's land just outside of IBEX Herdquarters at the South Osborne Street Underpass (SOSU). The IBEX Herd descended upon the Southeast corner and began pulling weeds, picking garbage, tilling soil, moving rocks, sweeping dirt and planting over 100 flowers donated by St. Mary's Nursery and Garden Centre. One day later, the corner was transformed from an eye-sore to a beautiful flower garden for the enjoyment of the 40,000 commuters passing by this corner every day. It was the beginning of an annual campaign we now call Clean Your Green. In 2007, the Herd once again did a lot of picking, pruning, digging and planting to clean-their green. But this time, IBEX challenged other businesses to do their part by cleaning their own green space. To spur them on, IBEX offered to donate $1,000 to Habitat for Humanity for any business that took them up on their challenge. Soon after, Habitat for Humanity got it's first $1,000 from Clean Your Green. In 2008, Clean Your Green pulled out all the stops and completely re-landscaped three corners of the underpass. This enormous undertaking took a backhoe, two skid steers, a truckload of soil, yards of landscaping mulch, countless landscaping bricks, 25 gigantic limestone blocks, hundreds of flowers and countless volunteer hours to complete. It was only possible with the help of major corporate sponsors and over 60 community volunteers in addition to the IBEX Herd. St. Mary's Nursery and Garden Centre, Reimer Soils, St. Boniface Pallet Co, Inland Aggregates, Barkman Concrete, Johnston Waste Management and the South Osbonre Beautification Committee provided all the necessary supplies and equipment to transform the space. The Clean Your Green team celebrated their major accomplishment with a Gala Event at the Park Theatre. Over 80 guests joined the Herd as they presented a cheque for $22,000 to Habitat for Humanity. The support of businesses and the community was phenomenal. In 2009, Clean Your Green once again took ownership of the three corners of the underpass and planted an incredibly beautiful flower garden. Clean Your Green raised another $2,500 for Habitat for Humanity. In 2010, Clean Your Green expanded. In addition to cleaning the South Osborne Street Underpass, the Clean Your Green team added a new campaign called Plant It Forward. Plant It Forward showed what a difference we can make when we all work together to do something positive for our community. The campaign saw 1,025 flowers made by 26 community groups out of recycled materials blossoming at the Forks on the first day of Spring. It also resulted in $20,475 being raised for Habitat for Humanity-Winnipeg.
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create a field of flowers in Winnipeg in March
raise money for Habitat for Humanity