Page 10 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, MAy 15, 2026 Are You Backyard Ready for Spring? Y our family yard is an extension of your home – providing a respite from stress, offering an outside entertainment area, expanding your living space, and giving kids and pests a safe place to play. Here are TurfMutt’s top tips! Take Stock of Tools: Do you need to replace your outdoor power equipment (lawn mower, leaf blower, trimmer, etc.?) Want to install a smart irrigation system? Plan now so you’re ready! Remember Wildlife and Pollinators: Nature starts at your back door. Grass, trees, shrubs, and flowering plants provide food and habitat for birds, small mammals and pollinators, plant accordingly. Plant for Kids and Pets: There are many species of turfgrass. Your local garden center or landscaper can help you identify what will work best. Plan for Fun: You might want an outdoor room fire pit, pergola, sandbox, outdoor furniture or a decorative water feature, furniture, or a decorative water feature. For more information visit www.turfmutt.com About the TurfMutt Foundation TurfMutt, which celebrated its 15th anniversary in 2024, was created by the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute’s (OPEI) TurfMutt Foundation and has reached more than 70 million children, educators and families since 2009. The Foundation is title sponsor of “Lucky Dog,” the Emmy Award-winning CBS broadcast television show in support of dog rescue and rehabilitation. Both TurfMutt spokesdogs have been rescue dogs, and Mutt Mulligan is a cast character on the show, where her “Mulligan Minute” segments teach viewers about the benefits of green space. In 2024, the Great Lawn at Louisville’s award-winning Waterfront Park on the Ohio River was renamed the TurfMutt Foundation Great Lawn as part of a $1 million sponsorship. Championed by Mulligan the TurfMutt, and through education partners such as Scholastic, Discovery, Weekly Reader, and the USBGC Global Learning Lab, TurfMutt has taught students and teachers how to “save the planet, one yard at a time.” TurfMutt has been an education resource at the U.S. Department of Education’s Green Ribbon Schools, the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Green Apple, the Center for Green Schools, the Outdoors Alliance for Kids, the National Energy Education Development (NEED) project, Climate Change Live, Petfinder and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In 2017, the TurfMutt animated video series won the coveted Cynopsis Kids Imagination Award for Best Interstitial Series. More information at www.TurfMutt.com. BBB Eastern New England urges parents to help graduates navigate job scams, student loans, and financial independence As graduation season begins, families face new financial and emotional challenges G raduation season is a time of celebration for families across New England, but it also marks the beginning of major financial and life transitions for young adults entering today’s competitive job and housing markets. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) Eastern New England is encouraging parents to take an active role in helping graduates navigate student loans, employment searches, rental agreements and the growing number of scams targeting young adults. “As someone who speaks regularly at colleges across New England — and as a parent of college-aged children myself — I see firsthand how overwhelming this transition can feel for families,” said BBB Eastern New England’s Chief Marketing and Sales Officer, Paula Fleming. “Parents are trying to support their graduates emotionally and financially while also helping them avoid costly mistakes and scams.” According to BBB Scam Tracker data, scammers increasingly target recent graduates with the following: • Fake job offers • Student loan forgiveness scams • Rental listing fraud • Phishing texts and emails • Fake check scams tied to employment offers BBB Eastern New England recommends parents talk openly with graduates about: • Budgeting and financial planning • Understanding student loan repayment options • Verifying employers and apartment listings • Protecting personal and banking information • Building realistic expectations around today’s job market “Career paths are rarely linear anymore,” Fleming added. “Many graduates may need time to find the right opportuBBB SCAM TRACKER | SEE PAGE 11
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