[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 147 (Wednesday, September 28, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6217-S6218]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  RECOGNIZING CLEGG'S NURSERY AND NAYLOR'S HARDWARE AND GARDEN CENTER

 Mr. VITTER. Mr. President, in the ongoing fight to rebuild 
much of south Louisiana after the devastating losses we experienced 
from widespread flooding, I am proud of the perseverance, resilience, 
and spirit of service clearly present amidst the efforts to restore and 
rejuvenate our great State. As such, I would like to recognize Clegg's 
Nursery and Naylor's Hardware and Garden Center of Baton Rouge, LA, as 
Small Business of the Week.
  Following the deadly, unprecedented flooding in south Louisiana this 
August, Clegg's Nursery has permanently merged businesses with Naylor's 
Hardware and Garden Center, whose facility was severely damaged. Their 
joint determination and commitment to helping other local businesses 
has inspired the Baton Rouge community to maintain a positive and 
selfless attitude and continue to lend helping hands to friends and 
neighbors during this time of loss and recovery.
  In 1955, Sam and Effie Clegg founded Clegg's Nursery in Baton Rouge, 
LA. They began by selling just a few plants from an empty lot on 
Florida Boulevard, but this quickly led to the opening of a small 
garden center on North Donmoor in Baton Rouge's Lobdell-Woodale 
neighborhood. In 1981, Sam Clegg sold the business to his son Marshall, 
who then expanded the family business to two other locations in Baton 
Rouge. In 1999, Clegg's was again sold to current managers, Scott Ricca 
and Tom Fennell, who dedicated themselves and the company to the same 
values, mission, and passion for gardening that both Sam and Effie 
Clegg envisioned over 40 years before. What started out as a plant 
stand in an empty lot has now developed into a wholesale growing 
operation with several locations throughout the Baton Rouge area.
  Today Clegg's owns over 40,000 square feet of commercial greenhouse 
space,

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with a dedicated staff committed to providing customers with the best 
locally grown plants in Baton Rouge. Amidst the devastating thousand-
year flood disaster that has plagued our State in recent weeks, Clegg's 
has led by example and embodied the true spirit of service, 
specifically through its aid to Naylor's Hardware and Garden Center, 
another local hardware and garden store in the area. Following the 
storm, Naylor's was left completely and irreparably destroyed. Clegg's 
offered immediate help to its fellow company by giving jobs to several 
of Naylor's employees, including its owner, Johnny Naylor, and now is 
merging with the successful Naylor establishment to continue to supply 
the Baton Rouge community with the same great products and customer 
service all under one roof. Despite the tragic circumstances, Naylor's 
has found new life through Clegg's, which is a prime example of 
service, unity, and true community support.
  I would like to extend my deepest condolences to the friends and 
families of Naylor's for the loss of their business, while expressing 
profound admiration toward Clegg's for its remarkable display of true 
Louisiana strength and helping others in the community during this time 
of need. I am honored to name Clegg's Nursery and Naylor's Hardware and 
Garden Center as Small Business of the Week. I wish them all the best 
during this time of recovery and look forward to seeing their new 
growth and success as they embark on a new business venture 
together.

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