News from Britt Hill – November 2026

ONE OF THE HAPPIEST moments of the 2026 Britt Season happened in August this year, when a grant from the Jacksonville Boosters Foundation enabled us to finally buy a riding lawn mower!

Since 2009, Britt has managed the Upper Britt Gardens 365 days per year with the leanest of facilities teams (one full-time person, with a second part-timer when funds have allowed). Our lease with the county requires that we maintain the entire facility as a public park, year-round. Managing a public park without public funding means lots of deferred maintenance and making-do. For years, that has meant mowing the entire park weekly with a push-mower, a task that took about 8 working hours every week.

We’ve searched high and low for a grantor to help us fund a riding mower, especially an electric mower that would reduce fuel emissions and noise pollution on lawn maintenance days. We’d nearly given up, until Luanne Bruner and Dan Schilberg of the Jacksonville Boosters asked me for a sit-down in late spring. We chatted in the US Hotel about our building plans and timelines, and Luanne offered up that the Foundation was looking to fund something tangible and meaningful.

I said, “Well, I don’t suppose you’d be at all interested in helping us buy a lawn mower… we’ve been mowing the grass with a push mower for years now.” Dan looked aghast, and Luanne’s eyes lit up. “That’s exactly the kind of proposal we’d entertain.”

Justin and Grant, our two fabulous facilities folks, spent several weeks researching options before identifying the E-Go mower as the best option. The day it arrived was full of fanfare, as Justin swiveled and swerved over the hill, laughing at how efficient and quiet the experience was.

The grass is now fully maintained in 30 minutes each week, and the facilities team couldn’t possibly be more delighted. We posted a call-out on social media for names for our new mower, and the early response of Mow-zart was the clear winner.

We’re all grateful for this generous gift from the Jacksonville Boosters Foundation. Our facilities team feels that gratitude most tangibly each week, but our entire year-round staff reflects on this as a gigantic win. For me, as a leader, the ability to solve a problem and make my teammates’ jobs easier is one of the best feelings in the world. Thank you to Luanne, Dan, and everyone at the Boosters and the Foundation for making our lawn-mowing dreams come true!

All best, Abby

Featured image: Justin Alexander & Grant Turner with the mower – photo by Mollie Smith-Cody