WALLINGFORD, Conn. – A New England landscaper is the proud owner of a new Dixie Chopper propane mower as part of a an annual promotion conducted by Total Landscape Care (TLC) magazine.

Evan John Groom, owner of Groom Landscaping in Moodus, Conn., is the 2009 winner of the Landscaper’s Dream Package presented by TLC. The Dixie Chopper mower and other prizes were awarded to Groom Dec. 9 at the W. I. Clark Co. in Wallingford. Clark is the local John Deere dealership.

New England Territory Manager Mark Laverdure was on hand to represent Dixie Chopper and join TLC representatives Dan Tidwell and Carter Matthews in introducing Groom to the world’s first true propane-powered zero-turn mower. The Dixie Chopper LP mower features a 990cc Generac engine that has been designed to run on propane.

This year’s TLC Landscaper’s Dream Package was valued at more than $65,000. In addition to the Dixie Chopper propane mower, Groom’s Dream Package also included a John Deere model CT315 compact track loader; an EZY-Lift hoist to retro-fit the back of a pickup truck; several Dolmar Power Products, including a chain saw, backpack blower, and trimmers; an EZ Trench power edger; Alturnamats ground protection mats; Drafix Pro Landscape design software; and an assortment of STA-BIL fuel stabilizers.

Obviously thrilled with his new mower and accompanying equipment, the winner recalled how he turned a lazy day into a payday.

“I was sitting home on a rainy day, and was reading the magazine,” Groom said. “I saw the announcement for the Landscaper’s Dream Package and decided to go online and register. I filled out all the forms and sent it off.”

And the rest, as they say, is history.

“My business has been absolutely changed thanks to Total Landscape Care magazine and all the sponsors,” Groom added. “I didn’t get over-excited until I got here today, and everything was here. It’s been an amazing day.”

For the past three years, TLC has worked with partner-sponsors like Dixie Chopper that donate products and services to create the Dream Package. The program is promoted through advertising in the pages of the magazine, on its website and at industry trade shows. During the annual GIE/Lawn & Garden Expo in Louisville last October, the Dixie Chopper mower was featured in TLC’s booth.

Dream Package winners continue to come from far and wide. The first prize package, in 2007, was delivered to a winner in South Dakota, while the 2008 winner received his prizes in Washington State.

Dixie Chopper will again provide a mower for the 2010 TLC Dream Package, company President Gary Morgan has announced. A Magnum series mower, a new model for 2010, will be given away to a lucky TLC reader/landscaper (watch for registration information beginning in February, both in the magazine and at www.totallandscapecare.net).

“The Dream Package is an excellent way for the sponsor to give something back to the industry that supports them on a very personal level,” TLC Publisher Dan Tidwell said. “It absolutely builds goodwill and helps strengthen relationships all around.”

Total Landscape Care is a national publication with a circulation of more than 70,000 targeting professional landscapers. It is published monthly by Randall-Reilly Publishing, which is based in Tuscaloosa, Ala.,