[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 53 (Thursday, April 18, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E497]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    HANOVER NURSERY 55TH ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. LOU BARLETTA

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 18, 2013

  Mr. BARLETTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Mr. John Basar and the 
Hanover Nursery in Hanover Township, Pennsylvania, which will celebrate 
its 55th anniversary this year.
   In 1958, John Basar, a Hanover Township native, started taking on 
small landscaping jobs throughout the area while also attending classes 
at Kings College. Initially the operation was small--just Mr. Basar, 
his 1948 Plymouth Coupe, a trailer, and the part-time help of his 
brother and a friend. By 1960, Mr. Basar had purchased a pick-up truck 
and hired two full-time employees but it wasn't until 1961 that he 
decided his business needed a name. He chose ``Hanover Nursery'' as a 
way to honor his hometown. In 1963, Mr. Basar began to secure his first 
commercial landscaping contracts. A topsoil pit was purchased by the 
business in 1970, an asset which became invaluable to the people of 
Wyoming Valley when they fell victim to the Agnes flood in 1972. Mr. 
Basar and the Hanover Nursery were an important part of the storm 
recovery following this disaster, helping to restore yards for families 
and eventually re-landscaping portions of the neighboring city of 
Wilkes-Barre.
   From the mid 1970s to the present day, Mr. Basar and the Hanover 
Nursery have been responsible for many prominent developments 
throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania. The nursery's work can be seen at 
several commercial projects including the Crossing Premium Outlets in 
Tannersville, the community of Sunset Drive in Hanover Township, the 
Wyoming Valley levy raising project and the newly reconditioned River 
Commons area in downtown Wilkes-Barre.
   Outside the Hanover Nursery, Mr. Basar has been a vital figure in 
the Hanover Township community. In 2014, he will celebrate 50 years as 
a member of the local Lions Club where he plays a primary role in the 
organization's Christmas celebration, planting new trees and decorating 
them with lights each Holiday season. He has also been a generous 
patron of the Hanover Township little league.
   Mr. Speaker, for the last 55 years Mr. John Basar and the Hanover 
Nursery have helped beautify Hanover Township and the surrounding 
areas. They played an active role in growing our community. Therefore, 
I commend Mr. Basar and all the Hanover Nursery employees who have been 
integral in the development and beautification of Northeastern 
Pennsylvania.

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