The Boys & Girls Club of Charlotte serves approximately 2,000 children in the Concord area after school. Their athletic fields are used mainly for youth football, but also host a variety of outdoor activities. Recently, volunteer coaches noticed a severe fire ant infestation on these athletic fields. After several children were attacked, the volunteers called Acme Turf Control Co. for a solution.
“Currently, the club is using fire ant bait, which was only providing a temporary solution. With a broadcast granular application, they would receive up to a year of control,” says Mike McDowell, president of Acme Turf Control Co. “The Boys & Girls Club is a non-profit organization, and a full preventative fire ant treatment would have taken a toll on its budget.”
Realizing the severity of the situation, McDowell turned to Michael Owen, lawn and landscape market specialist with Bayer Environmental Science, for help. As individual mound treatments had not solved the problem, Owen suggested a new product, TopChoice + Fertilizer. Recognizing how important the Boys & Girls Club is to the Concord community, Bayer is donating 30 bags of TopChoice + Fertilizer to rid the football fields of fire ants and create a “zero-tolerance zone.” “This organization does so much for young people in the community,” says Owen. “When Acme informed me of the infested football fields, I knew how important it was to protect these children. TopChoice + Fertilizer is a professionally applied insecticide that will provide the club up to an entire year of fire ant protection. Plus, as an added bonus, the turf will be nourished for a healthier and better looking playing field.” TopChoice + Fertilizer offers the power of the No. 1 fire ant control in the industry combined with valuable nutrients needed for healthy turf. “Our center is a safe haven for youth in the community,” Valerie Melton of The Boys & Girls Club says. “It is such a relief to parents and coaches that the children don’t have to worry about the threat of fire ants when they play on these fields. The added benefit of fertilizer means the fields will look better than ever this season.”