PRO Garden Show features Parrish, Andreev
Written by John Rasche | | JRasche@toledofreepress.comThe Professional Remodelers Organization (PRO) will host its Home Improvement & Garden Show at the SeaGate Convention Centre March 9-11. The event will include more than 175 exhibitors and antique appraisers ready to help anyone interested in home remodeling.
Fans will also have the opportunity to meet former Detroit Tigers catcher Lance Parrish and HGTV’s Sasha Andreev.
PRO is a nonprofit trade association composed of local businesses, which represent more than 40 types of home improvement professionals. PRO contractors, suppliers and other service providers in the remodeling industry have been available to Northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan since the organization’s founding in 1968.
Sasha Andreev
“Although the economy has had quite an effect on many industries, Professional Remodelers has remained strong,” said PRO Executive Director Rick Morel. “Our membership continues to grow with good quality professionals who share our set of business ethics.”
This will be PRO’s 43rd Annual Home Improvement & Garden Show.
“We’re changing the direction of the show this year,” Morel said in regards to this year’s talent at the three-day event. “The show has always been a steak, but it has never had the sizzle. This year’s show will have sizzle.”
The sizzle begins with 1984 MLB World Series Champion Parrish. Parrish, a former catcher for the Tigers and an eight-time MLB All-Star, will be at the show from 4-9 p.m. March 9.
“I’m always interested in outdoor gardening,” Parrish said. “I’ve been to plenty of home and garden shows before, but I never got to be part of one. It’s double the fun.”
Parrish will sign copies of his book, “Few and Chosen: Defining Tigers Greatness Across the Eras,” as well as any other memorabilia fans bring with them.
“I hope to see a lot of people there,” he said. “I enjoy going out in the public and meeting fans to talk baseball and to share stories. It should be a good time. I’d encourage anyone who hasn’t been to a home and garden show to go.”
Live music will be offered by the rock band B.A.S.I.S. on March 9 and local musician Don Coats on March 10. Gary Shores and Harvey Steele from K100 will broadcast from the event from 9-11 a.m. March 10.
Individuals curious about the worth of their antiques can visit the Home Improvement and Garden Show on March 10 for a free estimate. Local antique appraisers will appraise any two items free of charge.
Concession booths will be available all weekend. There will be free face painting March 10 and 11 for children.
On March 11, HGTV’s Sasha Andreev will offer a seminar to people interested in remodeling their homes. Andreev, host of the television show “Curb Appeal” on HGTV, will share his experience with home remodeling and suggest new ideas for homeowners.
“I wanted to come up with some remodeling advice that was more interesting and personal than just by looking something up online,” Andreev said. “Even if you know what you want, the thoughts sometimes get muffled, so being able to talk with someone and receive acclamation about your ideas gives you the confidence to remodel your home.”
Andreev will talk from his own personal experience in trying to remodel his own home. His seminar, “My Curb Appeal Challenge — Bringing Designer Tips and Tricks Home” will begin at noon. When Andreev first became a homeowner, he asked his favorite designers from “Curb Appeal” for suggestions on how to fix up his house. The answers were varied and imaginative.
“I enlisted three of them to each come up with a unique design for the house, reflecting their distinct point of view and budget level,” Andreev said. “What resulted was three plans which, along with lots of ‘before and after’ examples from the show, I use as a launching point to explore designer tips and tricks that anyone can apply to their own home.”
Andreev will be available for autographs at the SeaGate Centre from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 11.
The Cougarette Dance Team from Sylvania Southview High School will conclude the three-day event with some of its routines at 2 p.m. March 11. The Cougarettes won first place in the jazz and pom divisions at this year’s Ohio Association of Secondary School Administrators State Dance Championships. It is the first dance team to win two divisions in the same year. The team also performed at last year’s BCS Orange Bowl in Miami, Fla.
“We’ve never done anything like the Home Improvement & Garden Show,” head coach Heather Smith said. “We’ll be performing at least one of the routines from a division that we won. Our pom routine is the most crowd pleasing.”
Tickets cost $6 for a one-day pass and $12 for a three-day pass. Seniors 60 years and older pay $5 for a pass. Active military are free with their military ID. Children aged 12 and younger also have free admission.
Tickets can be purchased online at PRO’s website, www.hireaprotoday.com.
Shoppers can save $1 off their tickets by purchasing them at one of the three local Menards home improvement stores in Toledo, Holland and Oregon. The SeaGate Convention Centre is located at 401 Jefferson Ave in Downtown Toledo. The PRO Show will be open from 4-9 p.m. March 9, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. March 10 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. March 11.
Tags: Curb Appeal, Detroit Tigers, HGTV, Home Improvement & Garden Show, Lance Parrish, Professional Remodelers Organization, Sasha Andreev
