Mowing large grounds and school ovals just got a lot easier for Mawarra’s Waratah grounds maintenance business.

Global turf equipment company Toro has donated a brand new Toro Z Master 5000 Series mower valued at $16,000 to boost the capability of the not-for-profit business.

Mawarra’s Waratah business provides supported paid employment for people with disabilities and has steadily grown its operations providing mowing and gardening services to 16 schools across the region as well as businesses and home owners.

Representatives from Toro and local service agent, Vin Rowe delivered the new ride-on to staff and employees at Waratah. Nick Rowe from Vin Rowe said he was delighted to see a local not-for-profit organisation receive the donation. “It was our pleasure to provide as our contribution the free preparation of the unit.”

“The crews had been using an older model domestic ride-on that has stood the test of time but the volume of work they are performing in the community required them to step up to a faster, more fuel efficient industrial model.“

Mawarra’s Jeff Tellefson said the crews were over the moon with the new machine. “It's going to have a major impact on our time and efficiency particularly with our commercial contracts. We can now mow a school oval in almost half the time it took us with our old machine.”

Jeff Tellefson thanked Toro for the generous donation. “As a not for profit business, the constant challenge for Waratah is the cost of replacing aging equipment so this donation means a lot to our business and to the morale of our crews.”

Laurence Bingham, Toro Australia’s Business Manager, said it was fantastic to meet staff and workers and gain insight into how this donation will make a real difference to their productivity, safety and work satisfaction.

Toro recently selected 6 non-profit organisations from across the world to receive an equipment donation from its Toro Company Giving Program with Mawarra one of those.

“This donation is an opportunity for Toro to recognise and support community businesses in the turf and landscape industry that return benefits to improve lives and Mawarra’s Waratah business is clearly achieving that,” Lawrence said.

Mawarra’s Waratah Ground Maintenance business employs two teams of 6 employees and provides lawn mowing, whipper snipping, weed spraying, hedge trimming and basic pruning.