At a recent Make-A-Wish Day celebration held at the Vermeer Wisconsin facility in Madison, Wisconsin, Edgar Contreras was presented with the tools of the trade he needs to turn his dream of owning and operating his own landscaping company into a reality. Contreras is a 19-year-old from Milwaukee who is battling thyroid cancer.
Orchestrated by Make-A-Wish Wisconsin, Contreras received a new Vermeer RTX250 pedestrian trencher, as well as a trailer to haul it with, an extended service package, an update to his truck’s towing package, a generator, personal protective equipment (PPE) and a variety of hand tools. Donations were made by Vermeer Wisconsin, Vermeer Corporation and KS Energy Services Inc.
While presenting Contreras with his new tools of the trade, Chris Brouwers with KS Energy and Bear Reynolds with Vermeer Wisconsin expressed their commitment to helping Contreras on this career path by offering operator training, business development consulting and help navigating the many challenges of starting a company.
“Everyone at KS Energy and the Klumb family supports Make-A-Wish Wisconsin and the organization’s efforts to fulfill dreams of children and their families,” said Brouwers. “This unique wish is near and dear to our hearts. Edgar is a wonderful person who has risen to the challenges life has put in his way, and we’re confident he will be successful in the landscaping industry.”
According to the director of marketing and communications for Make-A-Wish Wisconsin, Forrest Doolen, the dream of starting a business is one Contreras shared with their team during his cancer treatment, but given the nature of his request, it took some time to grant. “When Edgar said he wanted a trencher, we reached out to KS Energy, who in turn looped in the team at Vermeer Wisconsin and Vermeer Corporation,” he explained. “The three organizations worked together to make sure they were providing more than just a piece of equipment — but also giving him the tools he needs to establish a business and support along the way.”
Growing up helping his father install irrigation systems is what spurred Contreras’ dream of owning his own landscaping business. After much discussion with his family, he determined that owning a trencher would be the best way to get started.
After turning over the keys of the Vermeer trencher to Contreras, Reynolds assured him that the team at Vermeer Wisconsin and Contreras’ business would have a relationship for many years to come. He went on to tell Contreras that everyone at their dealership will be there to help him along the way. “Everything from helping with the normal business things like service, parts and training support, to being a sounding board for business-related decisions, or just mentorship along the way, we’ll be here,” he said.
Make-A-Wish Wisconsin is currently working to make sure more than 450 children receive their wishes through donors’ generosity. For more information about how to get involved, visit wish.org to donate or find a local chapter.
About Vermeer Corporation
Vermeer Corporation delivers a real impact in a progressing world through the manufacture of high-quality underground construction, tree care, surface mining, environmental and agricultural equipment. With a reputation for durability and reliability, that equipment is backed by localized customer service and support provided by independent dealers around the world. To learn more about Vermeer Corporation, products, the dealer network and financing options, visit vermeer.com.
About Vermeer Wisconsin
Since 1961, Vermeer Wisconsin has been a family-owned Wisconsin business which proudly provides Vermeer products, expert service and support to Wisconsin and the upper peninsula of Michigan. Each of its four branch locations — Butler, Little Chute, Madison and West Salem — is fully staffed with sales, parts, and service-focused employees. To learn more about Vermeer Wisconsin, visit vermeerwisconsin.com.
About KS Energy Services, Inc.
KS Energy Services, headquartered in New Berlin, Wisconsin, is a leading provider of construction services to the natural gas, electric and telecommunication industries. KS Energy Services employs more than 1200 employees across the Midwest and focuses on maintenance, replacement and upgrading (MRU) existing infrastructure. KS Energy Services is one of several operating company under Artera Services. For more information, visit www.ksenergy.us.
About Make-A-Wish Wisconsin
Together, we create life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses. Since the Wisconsin chapter was founded in 1984, more than 7,200 Wisconsin families have experienced the power of a wish, resulting for many in a turning point in the fight against their illnesses. Currently, more than 450 wish kids are waiting for a life-affirming wish. According to a wish impact study, a Make-A-Wish experience leads to increased emotional and physical health for wish children. For more information on getting involved, please visit wisconsin.wish.org or call 1-800-236-WISH.
Vermeer Corporation reserves the right to make changes in engineering, design and specifications; add improvements; or discontinue manufacturing at any time without notice or obligation. Equipment shown is for illustrative purposes only and may display optional accessories or components specific to their global region. Please contact your local Vermeer dealer for more information on machine specifications. Vermeer and the Vermeer logo are trademarks of Vermeer Manufacturing Company in the U.S. and/or other countries. All other trademarks, registered trademarks and service marks are the property of their respective owners. © 2021 Vermeer Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
