Although Random Acts of Flowers exists as a functioning organization, the idea is easily implementable in everyday life, as is shown by this Share Your Story by volunteer Kristina.
Wanted to share a sweet experience I had this morning. When I walked into TVA’s corporate environment, I was greeted by a cartful of vases filled with cheery yellow and green mums. The woman wielding it is an acquaintance from dance class, so as we made our way into the elevator I said; “Oh, it’s like random act of flowers.” She laughed and replied that she had been inspired to recycle and share the bouquets by RAF (I don’t know if she participated in the Day of Caring) a few years ago. So the IT floor – and many cubicles – are a little brighter today thanks to you all! - Kristina
Her story shows how you can do a “random act” on your own. Often we receive calls from other states, people who found us online and don’t realize that we are a small organization. I usually encourage them to do a “random act” on their own. If you are having an event with simple centerpieces any local assisted living facility would LOVE to have those arrangements to put in their communal dining area. Or you could branch out of our recipient circle, maybe a battered women’s shelter or an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting space. There is no reason for one time use flowers to go in the trash… share them! Spread the joy in your community. :-)
In early December I shared a story about our first ever traceable Memorial Donation as a result of our Mission. A Memorial Donation is one given in someone’s memory, and we call it a result of our Mission because the family of the deceased remembered their loved one receiving flowers from RAF while in a healthcare facility. Upon their passing the family wants to give back to our organization which made a positive difference in their loved one’s life. So it is a donation given as a result of fulfilling our Mission.
How exciting to learn that we have a second such donation following closely on the heels of our very first! We recently received a large donation from a company in California. Upon following up to discover how they heard of us and why they felt compelled to donate we learned that they were donating in memory of an employee’s deceased spouse. But the story was not to end there. I recently received the following Share Your Story from Stew.
Thank-you so much for the work you do. My wife, DiAnne received one of your arrangements when she was in the hospital 2 years ago recovering from brain surgery. I have recently lost my beloved DiAnne, but my company, the Linux Foundation was gracious enough to make a donation in her name. Keep up the good work! - Stew
We are very sorry to hear about DiAnne’s passing but so happy to hear that we helped her in her time of need. And to think it was 2 years ago; we must have really made an impression! I think that this story shows how profound of an affect our deliveries can have on families who are going through a difficult time. Something as small as a bouquet of flowers delivered by a stranger “just because” can be the light that is so badly needed during the dark periods of our lives. A moment when you are reminded that there is beauty to be had and compassion to be shared.
This also reiterates the importance of Sharing Your Story. Our volunteers see over and over again the joy, the smiles, that are in response to our deliveries. They try to share their stories but all they know is that someone in the hospital/nursing home/assisted living was smiling when they left the room. They don’t know the story behind the smile, and those stories are a reminder of how important is our mission to deliver smiles, one bouquet at a time.
If you are a recipient, family member of a recipient, nurse or staff at a facility, please take a moment to Share Your Story. It means so very much to us here at Random Acts of Flowers to hear about how our mission is affecting our community. And it is your stories that compel our community to donate in order to help us continue fulfilling our Mission.
Like the ripple caused by a stone thrown into water our mission affects the mood of everyone in a recipient facility.
We often speak about how our mission affects healthcare residents in our community. What we don’t often share is how the staff of our recipient facilities are affected by our deliveries. The mood of the residents at a facility strongly affects the mood of the staff. Just imagine… if all the residents are in a bad mood, they are going to be contrary and difficult with the staff. If the residents are happy and excited they are going to transfer these positive feeling onto the staff members with whom they interact.
Enter Random Acts of Flowers. Who wouldn’t be in a good mood after receiving a big, beautiful bouquet of flowers from a stranger, someone who just wants to make sure that they have a reason to smile that day?! When our volunteers deliver to a healthcare community they brighten the day for not only recipients but for the nursing staff, the cleaning staff, the meal staff, the activities staff, and anyone who comes into contact with the lovely bouquet and the recipient of said bouquet. The mood of the entire community is uplifted after a visit from Random Acts of Flowers.
As evidence of this ripple the testimonials that we receive are quite often from the staff members of a facility. They often read very much like this one from Sunny.
Thank you! Our residents love Random Acts of Flowers! I work in an assisted living community and it was amazing to see the difference a simple act of kindness could make in someones day. Our residents really appreciated the fact that someone took time out of their day to come say a friendly hello and deliver flowers to them. Thank you so much for blessing our community in this way.
We are, as always, very happy to hear from communities to which we deliver. We also received three handwritten thank yous from this delivery!
Keeping in mind the ripple effect I invite you to start your own ripple within your community. Smile at someone on the street… they are likely to smile at the next person they see. Compliment someone who looks nice… they are likely to spread the joy of your compliment to others. Drop an extra quarter into an expired parking meter… you will make someone’s day!
We recently visited a facility that we have not ever delivered to before. We always really enjoy those because it is so much fun to share our mission with a new set of residents!
We received a very nice note from Lauren Hall, the Healthy Lifestyles Director.
Thank you so very much for all the beautiful flower arrangements. The residents absolutely loved them! Your organization has been the topic of a great deal of conversation. God bless you all for what you do! Their smiles are proof of the blessings you provide.
We also received an email through our website from a family member of one of the recipients.
I had the pleasure of seeing the impact of the beautiful flowers delivered by Random Acts of Flowers to Elm Croft West where my mom lives. My mom was so excited to have her own arrangement and the lobby of Elm Croft was filled with more beautiful arrangements. This is a wonderful way to brighten the days of many people! Thank you Random Acts of Flowers! - Kathy
As always we love hearing from those in our community who have been touched by our mission. Do you have a story to share? Visit our Share Your Story page and let us know how our mission affected your life.
On Sunday, December 8th volunteers from Random Acts of Flowers manned a booth at the Knoxville Pink Bridal Show at the Knoxville Convention Center to introduce brides to RAF’s wedding flower recycling program.
Hundreds and hundreds took information on RAF with them while they continue to plan the details – and hopefully once everything is set for their special day, they’ll decide to sign up and donate all their wedding flowers to us so we can turn them into beautiful bouquets for patients in area healthcare facilities.
Not only did we make great connections with brides and their families, but we also formed some new partnerships with area bridal vendors who supply locations, flowers, catering and more!
And to top off this wonderful experience, all the exhibitors participating in the show donated their showcase flowers to RAF – filling our delivery van to the top and providing lots of materials for our Monday arranging volunteers. Thank you all!
We’re very excited for our next bridal show coming up on Sunday February 12th – the News Sentinel Bridal & Beyond show. Come by and see us!
For the third year, Random Acts of Flowers’ volunteers rallied together on Christmas Day to make deliveries to patients spending their holiday away from home.
Between Christmas Day and the week thereafter, over 400 deliveries were made to area patients. On Christmas Day, RAF volunteers visited the University of Tennessee Medical Center, Patricia Neal Rehabilitation Center, Tennova’s Physicians Regional Medical Center and Parkwest Hospital.
The holiday deliveries were generously supported by AAA of East Tennessee, WBIR TV-10, The Trust Co., Prompt Physical Theraphy, SmartBank and Elavon – thank you!
Special thanks also goes out to all our floral donation partners including Ellenburg’s Nursery, Stanley’s Greenhouse, Food City, Mayo Garden Centers and Tennessee Floral. We couldn’t do it without you!
Random Acts of Flowers volunteers gathered today at Cresent Bend on the shores of the Tennessee River to plant “pink ribbon bulbs” in honor of breast cancer awareness month.
With generous support of The Care Institute Group, the RAF team planted 4,500 pink tulips and hyacinths in the Crescent Bend gardens. The main installation is a giant pink ribbon on the east hillside made up of thousands of pink tulips and surrounded by brilliant white tulips. In the springtime, this will be an amazing visual for all visitors.
On April 1st, the Crescent Bend House will host its “Pretty in Pink” day, honoring breast cancer survivors and raising awareness for breast cancer awareness. All proceeds from the day benefit the Susan G. Komen For the Cure foundation. Random Acts of Flowers is thrilled to support and participate in this special day.
A HUGE thanks to all the great RAF volunteers who braved the cold and work some seriously hard labor to make this day happen!
MEDIA: Read the press release here. (RELEASE-RAF-BreastCancerBlooms-120611)
We had such a wonderful response to our 2011 workshop series that we have decided to continue this exciting event into the new year! Follow this link for details. This year’s theme is Decorating Your Entryway for the Seasons. For each class attendees will take home an item to hang on their door or place on their stoop to help announce the newly arrived season! Past participants have been known to comment on the item they take home as being worth more than the price they paid for the class AND they got to learn how to make it themselves. Don’t miss out on this fabulous series! The series, or a single class, is also a wonderful gift to share with a loved one for the holidays.
Check out our article about the series in the December print issue of Everything Knoxville and pick up a January issue for stories from past participants.
This series often sells out so call our office today, 865-633-9082, to reserve your tickets.
Today I received a very sweet phone call. Mrs Badgett called to inquire about our mailing address so that she could send a check from her family. When I asked her how she had heard of us my heart swelled with pride for our mission.
Picture this, a woman living in a nursing home receives a bouquet of flowers from Random Acts of Flowers. She is so excited that she calls all her family and friends to tell them about the beautiful bouquet she was given. Upon the event of her passing the family remembers how much our mission touched her life. When a family friend asks what she can do in lieu of flowers the family requests that she make a donation to Random Acts of Flowers in their loved one’s honor. So Mrs. Badgett called us to inquire about making a donation in memory of her family friend who had previously received a bouquet from our organization.
In the early days of Random Acts of Flowers we discussed the possibility of Memorial Donations, ones given in memory of a former recipient. A donation given as a product of our mission. We have received Memorial Donations prior to this but always from donors who were already supporters of our mission. We are just shy of our three year anniversary and today marks the first Memorial Donation from someone unfamiliar with our mission as a direct result of the joy felt by a recipient!! Oh happy day
We have received such wonderful support from the community over the last three years! Whether from financial donors, floral donors, or volunteers. Our mission would not be possible without the support of our community. This story reflects just one facet of our many donors and a milestone for our organization!
This story is from a volunteer who recently went on his first delivery. I think most of our volunteers remember fondly their first delivery, it is during this delivery that they really “get” it. There are many volunteer tasks within our organization that lead up to that heartwarming moment but it is important that each volunteer experience that moment so they can remember why they do whatever task it is that they do.
I’ve done work for several great community activities in the past and this definately ranks at the top of the list. We delivered flowers to Blount Memorial Hospital in Maryville, TN. It was amazing to see the smiles on the faces of the patients we spoke to. I hope to have the opportunity to do this again soon. It was truly a heartwarming experience. – Jack
Thanks so much for sharing your story Jack!
In celebration of Veteran’s Day 2011 Random Acts of Flowers made two local deliveries. We left 10 bouquets with UT Hospice to be delivered to the homes of their Veteran patients. We also delivered 26 bouquets to Ben Atchley State Veteran’s Home where they were distributed on the dining room tables for all to enjoy.
One of the things that we do not lack for around here are heartwarming stories. This one certainly fits the bill! What makes this story special is that Patti knew to thank everyone and everything that went into her delivery. For her bouquet to be delivered there had to be a floral donor, a vase donor, a volunteer to arrange the flowers, volunteers to transport both the donated flowers and the arranged bouquets, and a volunteer to walk that bouquet into the room of an unsuspecting stranger to brighten their day. There are MANY hands involved in each and every bouquet delivered. Thank you for recognizing that Patti!
I have been in the hospital 2 months and feeling sad and depressed then suddenly someone came in with a BEAUTIFUL flower arrangement, I told them they must have the wrong room it could not be for me BUT it had my name on it. I smiled, cried, and called everyone I knew to describe the wonderful gift sent to me. To everyone who donated a rose, vase, time, and energy thank you from the bottom of my heart, you are a blessed group. patti @ st. marys
Thank you to all of our volunteers, to our floral and vase donors, and the hospitals and healthcare facilities that allow us to deliver. Thank you to our donors who help us pay the bills. Thank you to our corporate sponsors and grant makers. Thank you to our Board of Directors who donate their time to help maintain and grow our mission. Thank you to each and everyone who is involved on SO many different levels in making this organization possible! And finally, thank you to Patti for taking the time to Share Your Story. :-)
Some Share Your Story emails really touch the heartstrings. This is definitely one of those!
I am a 24-year-old Cystic Fibrosis patient on the list for a double-lung transplant. I am currently in the hospital for an exacerbation, and today I got a little knock on my hospital door. On the other side was a lovely woman who delivered me such a beautiful, surprise bouquet of flowers. It was so wonderful, and so very unexpected. The thoughtful gift was a ray of sunshine in my day. I hope someday, once I am healthy and with new lungs, to volunteer for this marvelous organization. It is fantastic, and what it does brightens the lives of so many beautiful souls. Thank you for making my day.
Peace and love.
Rosie
Thank you for writing Rosie! We are SO happy and excited to hear that we made such a great impression on your day. AND we would LOVE to have you in as a volunteer, follow this link to fill out that application.
The flowers that we delivered to Rosie were one of 45 bouquets delivered that day! We may only hear from one recipient for every 100 bouquets that we deliver but we can only hope that EVERY recipient is so strongly affected by our mission.
We brightened the room and brought comfort and happiness! What more could we ask for?!
The Jones family would like to thank you so much for the flowers. The yellow roses and daisies honestly, brighten the room. It brought comfort and happiness into the room. For my grandfather and our family.
This is a wonderful organization you have.
Thank you again,
The Jones family
Thank you to the Jones Family for sharing their story! Do you have a story about how Random Acts of Flowers’ mission has touched your life? Share Your Story here.
Watch the video featuring Random Acts of Flowers – created by the BlueOut Knoxville contest – click here to watch!
Received another story from a family member of a floral recipient. We certainly love hearing about how our mission effects those in our community. Thank you for sharing Beth!
“Many thanks to your organization for the beautiful flowers delivered to my mother during her stay at UT Hospital in Knoxville. The pink roses were perfect for her and she was so excited to receive them. I love that the flowers are repurposed for others to enjoy. Your generosity is greatly appreciated. Best wishes and God Bless!” – Beth
Do you have a story to share? We love to hear from our volunteers, donors, and recipients. Follow this link to Share Your Story.
Beth even went that extra step and sent in a donation to make sure that Random Acts of Flowers continues to deliver smiles one bouquet at a time! We especially love to know that our delivery made such a positive impact that she felt compelled to support it. Would you like to contribute to our mission? Follow this link to make a secure online donation.
Thursday evening we hosted our 3rd 2011 workshop with Samuel Franklin. The workshop was focused around creating themed centerpieces for the Fall. We had a wonderful group of ladies.
We started the evening with a spread of cheeses and glasses of wine while perusing Sam’s stunningly beautiful shop. Along with his gorgeous floral designs Sam helps customers with interior design; you can see examples of his exquisite tastes throughout the shop. His shop also has gifts for any occasion, a beautiful sun room and courtyard full of plants, and every imaginable kind of wall art. Sam is generous to donate a percentage of all purchases during the workshop back to Random Acts of Flowers. His generosity surely has no end! During the reception I answered questions about Random Acts of Flowers and Sam chatted with the attendees. 
Next we made our way downstairs to start the workshop. This is a unique experience for the non-professional to get to work in an actual florists’ workroom. Each attendee has a workstation complete with a bowl of Oasis, scissors, two seed pods, two oranges, an orange and white bow, and a bucket of flowers.
Sam started the workshop talking about different ways that you can “theme” an arrangement. This included using branches, oranges, and/or wheat for a Fall look. He also suggested the use of more interesting flowers and foliage like protea instead of a “summery” floral bouquet.
Then Sam gave step by step directions while each attendee created their own centerpiece. He started us off with greenery but cautioned not to add too much because there were plenty of flowers and other items to add on.
Here you can see where Dolores and Lianne started with greenery and then added on. The arrangements on the right are only about 2/3 of the way done but they are already gorgeous!
Sam also takes the time to walk around and give personal attention to each attendee. He has a wonderfully laid back style and is such a pleasure to be around. I often have attendees after the workshop telling me how down-to-earth he is and how much they enjoyed meeting him.
Here are some pictures of everyone having fun with their floral creations.
We all agree that no matter how helpful Sam is our arrangements never look as fabulous as his. I guess that is what 33 years in the floral industry does for you! Here is Sam finishing his arrangement and showing us a few extras that you can add on.
Sam always concludes the workshop with a tour of the floral coolers and the florist’s stockrooms. I don’t have a picture from Thursday so I am slipping one in from an earlier workshop. Here are also some pictures of a few of the attendees and the finished centerpieces.
We are very excited to announce that our WINTER workshop scheduled for November 3rd, when Sam will demonstrate how to decorate your mantle piece for the holidays, is sold out! We are hoping to offer a 2012 workshop series with a whole new line-up of activities. Stay tuned for more info.
Received this lovely note earlier this week. She must have been one of the recipients during our first ever delivery to Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center last month which received great television coverage.
My mom had a lengthy hospital stay recently and I live out of state. I called daily to check on mom and she said that she received some beautiful flowers and was on television. She had been confused during her illness, so I was surprised to learn she had truly received the flowers donated by Random Acts of Flowers and was on the news that evening. Thank you for the kindness to my mom and making her feel special. Friends were calling to say they saw her on television which made her feel like a celebrity. — Sarondra
Follow this link to see the coverage mentioned http://www.wbir.com/news/article/177028/8/Random-Acts-of-Flowers-blossoms-in-another-hospital
Volunteers come to us through many different venues, whether they read an article, see TV coverage, hear from a friend, or any number of other ways. One of our newest volunteers came to us because he was witness to our mission while in a healthcare facility. Our other volunteers really enjoyed hearing his story so I asked him to share with us through our Share Your Story page.
I am a male patient of UT Cancer Center and have chemo therapy for 7 days a month. As a previous Floral Designer I was very pleased one day not long ago to see some of the patient’s in the chemo hut receiving bouquet’s of flowers from Random Acts of Flowers. It was very touching that someone thought enough of total strangers that they would send flowers and I thought, why couldn’t I voluteer as a designer as well? After all my years of working as a florist I still enjoy making arrangements. So I contacted the group and today I am a volunteer. I thoroughly enjoy working with the group!
Thanks so much for sharing your story Glen! And most of all thank you for wanting to give back when you realized that you could. :-)
If you have been touched by our mission, please take a moment to Share Your Story.
This Spring Random Acts of Flowers partnered with Brownie Troop 21159 to make a delivery at one of our assisted living facilities. I must say it was one of the sweetest delivery experiences I have ever had! There is just nothing that compares to the joy of bringing the young together with the elderly. The residents at NHC Knoxville were so overjoyed to have the girls visit and the girls had a lot of fun handing out the beautiful bouquets of flowers. Many thanks goes out to the beautiful girls and their troop leader. Below are some photos from the delivery, a thank you card they sent, and some drawings they included with the thank you.
If you have a group of children that you think would benefit from participating in a delivery with Random Acts of Flowers please call our Director of Operations, Sage Morgan, at 865-633-9082 to discuss the possibilities.
Random Acts of Flowers started making deliveries on March 3rd, 2009. At that time we were delivering an average of 20 bouquets per delivery to one of four hospitals each Monday.
Fast forward to August of 2011. We now make deliveries twice a week into 7 hospitals, 26 nursing home/assisted living facilities, and 3 hospices and we average 40 bouquets per delivery (that is double the bouquets AND double the deliveries). We have delivered over 8000 bouquets, recycled thousands of vases, and re-purposed flowers from more than 500 events!
In 2009 we could not have known where we would be today. We had no concept of how completely the community would embrace our mission. What we did know was that there were people who needed to be reminded that there is reason for hope, whether it was a 24 year old man fighting cancer or a 107 year old woman living her last days in assisted living. There are, and always will be, people who need the cheer of a bouquet of flowers.
I am continually amazed by people’s response to our mission. Future brides who call and are excited to have somewhere to send their flowers after their special day. Funeral directors who talk about how much their clients love knowing that their memorial flowers are going to be used to brighten someone’s day. Potential volunteers who read an article in the paper (or see a clip on TV) that know instantly this is the way they want to give back to their community. Floral recipients who mail in financial contributions because they want to make sure someone else gets the pleasant surprise that they so appreciated. Supporters who give every year during our donation drive because they know that their $20 (or $50 or $500) makes a positive difference in our community. Community members who come out in support of our Fall Bulb Sale (or Art in the Garden or Samuel Franklin workshops) because they believe in what we do and want to make sure we keep doing it.
THANK YOU! To everyone in this wonderful community that has helped us to continue delivering smiles one bouquet at a time. Random Acts of Flowers has grown by leaps and bounds, has been able to touch the lives of over 8000 patients and elderly residents in this community because of your support. Please continue to think of us and the mission that we fulfill week after week. Remember to share our mission with your neighbor, with your dentist, with the server at your favorite restaurant because you never know who will become our next floral donor, bouquet recipient, dedicated volunteer, or financial supporter.
The 3rd workshop in our 2011 Flowers For All Seasons workshop series is quick approaching. On September 8th Sam will share with us how to welcome the Fall with themed decor, whether for a festive tailgate or a Halloween party. Attendees will create and take home a floral centerpiece. Attendees of the Spring workshop are encouraged to bring in their dogwood wreath for a Fall update. You can also join us on November 3rd to learn how to decorate your mantle for the holidays.
Check out the photos below for a snapshot of our Spring and Summer workshops. For a full size view of any of the snapshots just click on the picture.
Sam’s shop is stunning, words just do not suffice. Whether you are looking for a knick knack to fill a space in your own home or that perfect hostess gift Samuel Franklin Floral and Home is sure to have just the right thing. So… I made sure to capture a few vignettes during the Summer workshop. The best part? The scenery changes between every workshop! Can’t wait to see what Sam has in store for us for the Fall workshop!!
Also below are a few of the wreaths that we worked on in the Spring and some action shots from the Summer.
We hope you will consider joining us for the Fall and/or Winter workshops. For the Winter workshop on November 3rd Sam will show us how to turn our mantles into showpieces for the holiday season! Tickets are selling out quickly so give me a call at 865-633-9082 to reserve your spot!
Also check out my blog entry about the Holiday Decor Workshop from November of 2010 – http://randomactsofflowers.org/blog/news/samuel-franklin-holiday-decor-workshop-11-18-10/.
We received great coverage today on WBIR-Channel 10. We cannot say thank you enough to the station for always covering our big steps!
Follow this link to see the video. http://www.wbir.com/news/article/177028/8/Random-Acts-of-Flowers-blossoms-in-another-hospital
The following is from our recent delivery to Windsor Gardens off of Merchants and Central in North Knoxville.
“Thank you for the beautiful flowers delivered to my father at Windsor Gardens assisted living! The delivery brightened his day and he has enjoyed them very much.” – Becky
There weren’t many bouquets in that delivery but it sounds like we made a difference with the few that we had! Thanks for sharing Becky.
We delivered 52 arrangements at Blount Memorial Hospital yesterday. This email was waiting for me when I got in this morning! :)
Today my husband received one of your lovely bouquets at the hospital. The flowers are so beautiful and the thought behind them even more beautiful. Thank you so much for what you did. You are doing a wonderful thing with this. God bless all of you. – Linda
You are very welcome Linda! We are glad that we could have a positive influence on your husband’s stay at Blount Memorial.
Received this sweet note from a Random Acts of Flowers recipient at Parkwest Medical Center.
I just want to thank your group for the delivery of daisy mums during my stay at ParkWest. They did so much to brighten an otherwise clinical atmosphere. They made a difference. – Jane
Thank you for taking the time to write to us Jane! We are so happy to hear that our delivery made a difference during your hospital stay. :)
This one really brightened my day! Thank you for taking the time to write to us Debbie.
Last week I was hospitalized at ParkWest. With most of my family living out of state, I was quite lonely and depressed, not knowing what was wrong with me and not having someone to sit with me while there was something new to me. In the past, I always had one of my husbands with me (both have passed away and are in God’s hands now). My daughter had to work so she could only come in the evenings. I was so surprised when a lady walked into my room and presented me with a beautiful arrangement and told where they came from. I wanted to say thank you for such a beautiful experience, it made my day. They now sit in my bedroom for me to enjoy. I’ve been looking for a way to volunteer and give back. Random Acts of Flowers will be hearing from me about offering my services. Thank you again for making me smile and brighten up my day! – Debbie, recipient at Parkwest Medical Center
If you have a story about how our mission has touched you follow this link to Share Your Story.
April 29th, 2011 Random Acts of Flowers rolled out Knoxville’s first ever fresh flower float during the Dogwood Arts Festival Parade.
Many thanks go out to our committee co-chairs Mary Jane Keating and Melissa Smith who orchestrated this phenomenal task. With the assistance of 20 volunteers, working for a total of 161 hours in 5 days, and using an estimated ten thousand flower stems the committee made a splash on the downtown Knoxville scene. In addition to the flowers on the float, volunteers handed out over 300 single stem carnations along the route.
As a banner holder I was able to hear parade attendees upon their first glimpse of the float. I heard many, “oh wow”s and “coooool, do you see all the flowers” and “oh look, their handing out flowers!” Though the float was a challenge to assemble, all agree that it was a joy to share with the community. Will this become an annual tradition? Will we see another flower float in the 2012 parade? Tell us what you think! :-)
We would like to thank Tennessee Floral Supply, Flowers Direct, and Stanley’s Greenhouse for supplying the flowers and greenery, All Occasions Party Rentals for donating the gazebo rental, and Ray Varner Ford for sponsoring the event and providing/driving the truck that pulled the float. We would also like to recognize the sorority Alpha Omicron Pi for sending out members to assist in the building of the float. As usual, this event would not have been possible without Random Acts of Flowers volunteers giving their time to support our mission. Many thanks to everyone involved!
Below is a photographic chronicle of the event. Please note that full pictures can only be viewed by clicking on the thumbnails below.
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Vols sorting the donated flowers.
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Pink-n-red roses galore!
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Gorgeous yellow sunflowers.
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MJ arranging an urn.
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The float, ready for magic.
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Vols attaching flowers to the float.
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Ready for transport to parade site.
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Thank you to Ray Varner for the beautiful truck!
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Ray and his beautiful wife.
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There were even flowers on the hood!
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Flowers ready for distribution.
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Rena, Melissa, and Mary Jane. Otherwise known as the Monday Madams.
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The banner ladies.
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The float in all it’s glory.
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The float rolling down Gay Street in all its glory.
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Anna and Sage Jernigan ready to ride the float.
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The Songs of Spring
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What a fun garden scene!
Did you know that in just over two years, Random Acts of Flowers volunteers have made 6,920 floral deliveries! As we fast approach the 7,000 delivery milestone, I wonder when we’ll hit the 10,000 mark. That will be a wonderful day. Thank you all who help make this possible.
Larsen Jay
Founder / President, Random Acts of Flowers
Some of you may remember hearing about Random Acts of Flowers planting excess Fall Bulb Sale inventory earlier this year. The bulbs, whose costs were covered by a local supporter, were planted at Heritage Assisted Living on South Peters Road with the intention that they would be cut and delivered when they bloomed. Special thanks goes to Sara Hedstrom of Hedstrom Design for creating a plan and sourcing donated labor for the install.
I received a call from Mary Ellen, the facility administrator, at Heritage letting me know they were in bloom and ready to be cut. Nancy, a Random Acts of Flowers volunteer, and myself met Erin Donovan of WBIR on-site to shoot a piece about the process. Look for teasers about the story through the weekend and stay tuned to Live at 5 at 4 on Monday, April 18th for the full story.
Mary Ellen was nice enough to recruit two of her residents to help us. We all had a little chuckle because they were both named Nancy; along with our own volunteer we had THREE Nancys. It made for a few confusing moments but all-in-all it added to the festive atmosphere. What a fun time we had! The Heritage Nancys were so cute; I hope that WBIR shows some of their spunk in the final piece!
So the Nancys and I cut about one third of the blooming tulips and arranged them into 20 bud vases. Then our Nancy and I delivered the bouquets to Little Creek Sanitarium residents who were especially delighted to hear the story behind the delivery. Flowers cut and arranged by residents at an assisted living facility and then delivered to a healthcare center. It doesn’t get much sweeter than that!
Below are some pictures from our fun day. Enjoy! :-)
Follow this link to see the news coverage by WBIR Channel 10. Delivering smiles, one bulb at a time
We recently visited a facility in North Knoxville for the first time and received an overwhelming response from the staff. We so very much love to hear our recipients’ stories! Below are a few of their stories along with some photos they shared:
Wow… what a blessing. Thank you so much for the beautiful flowers. Our residents were so suprised and delitghted at the same time. Your volunteers were great. I just can’t express how much this meant to our residents. This is truly a great program. Thank you again and God Bless You! – Gail
Thank you so much for your kind donation to the residents at Elmcroft of Halls. The staff and family of this community has been blown away by the kind spirit of everyone with your organization. The smiles on our resident’s faces continue to shine after your kind delivery. One resident sang to her flowers because it had been so long since she had received such a beautiful bouquet. Residents, family members and staff have greatly enjoyed the beautiful flowers your volunteers arranged. We are amazed by this kind gesture and are hopeful for a future return visit. – Rebecca
The following is an email we received from the Mercy Hospice Volunteer Coordinator.
Beautiful vases of flowers arrived last weekend for each of our eighteen hospice patients and their families. Our front reception desk as well as staff members received a bouquet for their desk too. The acts of kindness LIFTED our SPIRITS for days and we appreciate this wonderful mission that is brought to us unexpectantly. You even picked up the empty vases! Thank-you Sage and all who made this possible! -Tere
You are very welcome Tere! We love to visit this beautiful facility in North Knoxville that has such gracious staff and residents. :-)
We received a thank you card today from one of our facilities and this is what it said:
Thank you so much for the beautiful flowers that you bring to our facility. It brightens up not only our facility environment, but our residents’ and staffs’ day! Thank you so much for thinking of Northhaven Health Care! -Trudy Durham (Executive Director) and the residents and staff.
We love visiting their beautiful facility and really appreciate the acknowledgment. :-)
The following is a story sent in by a recipient via the Share Your Story page on our website. Do you have a story to share? Follow this link – http://randomactsofflowers.org/get-involved/share-your-story/
I’m not a flower bouquet person. I like to see flowers in fields. But when I was in the hospital, the fact that someone cared was nice. Thank You. – Joe
Thank you for sharing your story Joe! Never forget that your community does care. The flowers for your bouquet were donated by a community member, arranged by community volunteers, and delivered to put a smile on your face. We hope it worked! -Sage:)
The following is an email that I received from Faye, a volunteer at UT Medical Center. Faye and her cohort, Carolyn, are UT volunteers who escort our Random Acts of Flowers volunteers within the hospital during our once monthly deliveries. In this email she recounts a story about a recent delivery.
As we were approaching the nursing station at 4South, I overheard one of the nurses telling a male patient who was probably mid to late 30′s about Random Act of Flowers. She told him that we are there once a month and that everyone on the floor gets flowers. He was so excited and asked her if even he would receive flowers. She assured him that he would, so we made certain that he did get included.
When I went in he asked that I let him hold the arrangement. He beamed up at me and said that he thought that this was probably the nicest thing which had happened to him in such a long time. He shared that he was facing surgery that day, and he couldn’t express how much this meant to him. He and I agreed that when he returned from surgery that he would have the flowers there to welcome him back to his room.
Thank you Faye for sharing this special moment with us! We love to hear about how our deliveries affect the recipients. We are so happy to have been a bright spot in this gentleman’s day!
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Of all the times to be in the hospital the holiday season, normally spend surrounded by loved ones, has to be one of the hardest. Christmas 2010 saw the 2nd annual Christmas Day deliveries by Random Acts of Flowers volunteers. Through a generous donation by Stanley’s Greenhouses & Plant Farm our volunteers were able to deliver almost 200 poinsettias to patients confined to area hospitals on Christmas Eve & Day. Below are some thoughts shared by these volunteers.
Parkwest delivery – Jane F.
What a wonderful Christmas morning I had, spreading cheer and joy to the patients at Parkwest Hospital! I think it meant as much to me as the patients, as smiles came on their faces and knowing that someone thought about them. One lady remarked, “Santa did not forget me after all!” Another lady ran down the hall to tell me that I had made her husband smile for the first time in days. The stories go on and on. Thanks for giving me the opportunity to do something for others on Christmas.
UT delivery – Alicia C.
My younger brother and I did deliveries on Christmas Eve. It really made us appreciate the fact that we were enjoying the holiday in the comfort of our home, while so many were recovering in the hospital. The experience, while wonderful for the patients, was deeply enlightening for us.
Parkwest delivery – Oana H.
Someone once told me that being charitable is a selfish thing: “if you think about it” he said, “we are charitable in order to make ourselves feel good”. Well, I don’t know what the philosophical or psychological twists are but if being charitable means being selfish, by all means, I want to be selfish! This Christmas I had the charity of Park West Hospital patients who gave me hugs, smiles, and sound life advice. Aided by the ever present and cheerful Rita and by the diligent nurses, I made my way to about two dozen rooms, delivering beautiful and bright poinsettias, which were graciously donated by Stanley’s Greenhouse. One of the ladies I visited gave me a great big hug and apologized for her hair not looking up to par for a visit. Her face lit up at the sight of the crimson flower and she optimistically counted down the days until she could be with her grandchildren. Many patients thanked me and thought it was such a nice thing for Stanley’s Greenhouse to do. I was lucky enough to hear one man’s whole life story, including good advice to treat one’s significant other well, to pray, and to remember that if someone doesn’t interact with you to your satisfaction, something might be going on in their life that makes them temporarily act that way. We also made sure that all nurses’ stations had one of our beautiful poinsettias – a very small thank you for all of their hard work. I am thankful – and yes, I feel good – for the opportunity to share a special day with so many sweet people! Thank you Stanley’s Greenhouse and Random Acts of Flowers! Looking forward to more deliveries!
Thank you to each of our volunteers for taking time on their holiday to help Random Acts of Flowers spread joy to area patients.
“My 83 year old grandmother fell and broke her hip, which required surgery and therapy. While staying at a transitional therapy center in Blount County she was brought a beautiful vase of purple Irises. What a wonderful uplifting surprise! On my commute to work I drive by a giant billboard with a counter for Random Acts of [Flowers] but never fully felt it’s impact until today. Thank you so much for the work you do! God bless.”
If Random Acts of Flowers has touched your life, please share your story with us by following this link http://randomactsofflowers.org/get-involved/share-your-story/.
 Faye, our 5000th recipient was full of smiles and hugs for all!
 Many residents are just as happy to have someone to talk to for a few minutes.
Flowers are such a simple pleasure. Joyce was certainly happy to receive her bouquet!
Herb was such a sweetie! Never believe that men don't like flowers.
Thank you to TVA employees for volunteering with Random Acts of Flowers as part of their Day of Caring.
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5000 Bouquets Delivered!
Random Acts of Flowers started making deliveries on March 3, 2009. On October 28, 2010 we delivered our 5000th bouquet! That was our 5000th shared smile, 5000th moment of joy, 5000th instance of shared compassion between a volunteer and a patient.
How very far we have come in less than two years! We started on January 1, 2009 with little more than a concept. In the first three months we formed partnerships with four area hospitals, created a plan for one delivery of 15 bouquets per week, and began looking for volunteers to help make those deliveries possible. Today we have partnerships with 6 area hospitals, more than 25 area nursing home & assisted living facilities, and 3 area hospices. We now make two deliveries per week for an average of 60 bouquets delivered each week. We have also been fortunate to receive an outpouring of support from our community in the form of volunteer hours. Every part of our mission, from pick-up, to arranging, to delivery, is accomplished via volunteers' time and efforts.
We are so proud to share this latest accomplishment with you! It is through your donations (both floral and monetary), your volunteer hours, and your help with spreading the word about our mission that we have been able to deliver 5000 smiles to area patients and elderly residents. Thank you for being a part of such a special mission!
Don't forget to RSVP for the Samuel Franklin Holiday Decor Workshop on November 18th.
RSVP via:
Use PayPal (follow this link) to pay by credit card
*mention "workshop" in the comments section*
Mail check to: 920 Volunteer Landing Ln, Ste 201, Knoxville, TN 37915
Call 865-633-9082 to put your name on the list |
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Samuel Franklin
Holiday Decor Workshop
The holidays are quick approaching!
It is time to hang the garland, decorate the tree,
and deck the halls.
November 18, 2010
6:00-8:00pm
362 N. Main Street, Clinton
Sam will share expert tips on
designing wreaths, garland, and holiday centerpieces.
Attendees will create a take-home item to help kick off their holiday decorating.
Join us at 5:30pm
for a wine and cheese Social With Sam
and a private viewing of
Samuel Franklin Floral & Home.
Ticket price is $50.
All materials are included in the ticket price and attendees will receive a 20% discount on additional items purchased from the store.
All proceeds will benefit Random Acts of Flowers.
To RSVP:
Call office 865-633-9082
Pay by credit card on PayPal (follow this link)
Mail check to: 920 Volunteer Landing Lane, Ste 201
Knoxville, TN 37915
We're blogging! http://randomactsofflowers.org/blog/
Check out the blog on our website where you can read along as we fulfill our mission. Below are a few samples:
Encouraging Stories from the Community http://randomactsofflowers.org/blog/stories/encouraging-stories-from-community/
2010 Fall Bulb Sale
http://randomactsofflowers.org/blog/special-events/2010-fall-bulb-sale/
A last wish, to be a blushing bride
http://randomactsofflowers.org/blog/stories/a-last-wish-to-be-a-blushing-bride/
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The Random Acts of Flowers process.
Flowers arrive at our facility in buckets,
where our trusty volunteers arrange them into individual bouquets,
and then deliver them with a smile!
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Today we delivered our 5000th bouquet! In 20 months we have delivered 5000 smiles, we have brightened the lives of 5000 people, and we have touched the lives of 10 times that many people with our mission. What a great feeling!
The day started with the arrival of 6 volunteers from TVA as part of the Combined Federal Giving program, along with four of our regular Thursday volunteers. My goodness, we accomplished a LOT this morning! 42 bouquets arranged, boxes of vases washed/dried/shelved, and all of our resale inventory organized and priced for the sale. Our office has never been such a bee hive of activity!
We topped the day off with a delivery to Williamsburg Villas where we delivered our 5000th bouquet to an absolutely delightful lady who could not say enough wonderful things about her bouquet. Her reaction truly felt like all 5000 of those bouquets tied up in one package!
I would like to say a special BIG thank you to the employees of TVA who came out to volunteer with us, as well as the company as a whole for allowing their volunteers to help make a difference in our community. I would also like to say thank you to each and every one of our volunteers, whether they sit on our Board of Directors, wash vases, arrange flowers, drive pick-ups and deliveries, or stuff envelopes, our mission would NOT be accomplished without their support. It is touching to see how the kindness of so many individuals comes together to fulfill such a wonderful mission.
Thank you!
Below are some photos from the delivery. All photo credits are to Damien Powers.
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Faye, our 5000th recipient, was such a pleasure!
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Many of the residents are just as happy to have someone to talk to for a few minutes.
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Williamsburg Villas allows dogs! What a treat for residents and volunteers alike :)
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Flowers are such a simple pleasure. Joyce was certainly happy to receive her bouquet!
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Herb was such a sweetie! Never believe that men don’t like flowers.
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Our TVA employees/volunteers full of smiles after the delivery.
This past weekend was the launch of our 2nd Annual Fall Bulb Sale. This morning I had two emails in my box which I would like to share.
The first comes from our founder relaying a story from Mike & Liz, long time volunteers with RAF, who worked the afternoon shift at the Turkey Creek Earthfare.
He told me that at the end of his shift at Turkey Creek on Saturday, a young woman approached the table in tears. She told him how appreciative she was of RAF – how she was having a lot of trouble in the hospital during the birth of her second child, and how RAF had brought her a bouquet flowers on a day where she needed it most. Our delivery made such a profound effect on her that she could barely get through the story to say thank you.
The second comes from Vicki, an RAF Board Member, who worked our booth at the Ramsey House Country Fair.
A woman approached my table and as she opened her wallet, I said, ‘You must need some bulbs for your garden’, ‘No’, she said, “I’m not a gardener, but my mother is in a nursing home and you have delivered flowers to her several times. Each time she is delighted for days, calls to tell everyone she received flowers…. so I just want to make a small donation and say thank you for making her day’.
Reading these stories this morning had a profound effect on me. Last year during our Fall Bulb Sale the prevailing sentiment was that the public had not heard of us but they were excited to know who were and that we were doing such a great thing in the community. For both of these stories to come in on our opening weekend, stories that show what effect we are having on the community, was very touching!
Not only is it exciting to say “2nd Annual” and feel the pride that comes with that but now we are hearing direct from the public that our mission really IS making a difference!
Have you been touched by our mission? Follow this link to tell us your story.
Sage:)
Director of Operations
Well, it is that time again! Time to stock up on bulbs, get them in the ground, and then sit back and wait for the display of color in the Spring.
This year we will be at the Earthfare in Turkey Creek & Bearden as well as on Market Square in front of Reruns Consignment all five Saturdays in October from 10am to 2pm. We will also be at the following locations:
- Ramsey House Country Market – Saturday, Oct 2nd – 9am to 5pm
- Ramsey House Country Market – Sunday, Oct 3rd – 9am to 5pm
- UT Garden Fall Plant Sale – Friday, Oct 8th – 4pm to 6pm
- UT Garden Fall Plant Sale – Saturday, Oct 9th – 9am to 2pm
- Clinton Fall Festival (outside of Samuel Franklin Floral Design) – Saturday, Oct 9th – 9am to 3pm
- Samuel Franklin Floral Design Open House – Friday, Oct 22nd – 10am to 3pm
- Samuel Franklin Floral Design Open House – Saturday, Oct 23rd – 10am to 3pm
For a full schedule check out this previous post.
By purchasing bulbs from Random Acts of Flowers you can know that you will have a beautiful yard in the Spring AND that you are helping to brighten someones day through a delivery from Random Acts of Flowers.
Following are a few testimonials from our supporters during the 2009 Fall Bulb Sale:
David's Pink Impression Tulips
“The Tulips we purchased last year were absolutely amazing. I am the farthest thing from a ‘green thumb’ and the planting and result made my yard absolutely beautiful. I received several comments from my neighbors on how bright they were. Many thanks to the organization for the bulbs and I am looking forward to this years bulb sale!!!” – David J.
Lori's Easter Joy Tulip Mix
“I’m so glad that we are selling bulbs again this year because every single one in the bag that I bought bloomed this past spring. It was spectacular and also a lot of fun watching the various colors of 50 tulips bloom! I really am looking forward to sharing the joy with others at this year’s sale.” – Lori C.
Random Acts of Flowers is proud to announce the 2nd Annual Fall Bulb Sale!
No garden is complete without the beauty of blooming bulbs! Plan your spring flowers while helping support a local charity at the same time. Not only will you get fabulous bulbs from our great bulb companies, you’ll also be helping the charity bring smiles to patients in area hospitals, nursing homes and hospice care centers.
Come visit us during the month of October and purchase bulbs for your garden!
Can’t make it out to one of our locations or live outside the East Tennessee area? If so, you can still order wonderful bulbs and support our charity at the same time! Order online - click here – where 50% of every order benefits Random Acts of Flowers. There’s a great selection of bulbs and they’re shipped directly to you (nationwide) for one low cost.
Saturday, October 2
Earthfare Supermarket (Bearden) / 10:00a – 2:00p
Earthfare Supermarket (Turkey Creek) / 10:00a – 2:00p
Market Square (Downtown) / 10:00a – 2:00p
Friday, October 8
U.T. Gardens – Fall Plant Sale (UT Ag Campus) / 4:00p – 6:00p
Saturday, October 9
Earthfare Supermarket (Bearden) / 10:00a – 2:00p
Earthfare Supermarket (Turkey Creek) / 10:00a – 2:00p
Market Square (Downtown) / 10:00a – 2:00p
U.T. Gardens – Fall Plant Sale (UT Ag Campus) / 9:00a – 2:00p
Clinton Fall Festival (outside Sam Franklin Florists) / 9:00a – 3:00p
Saturday, October 16
Earthfare Supermarket (Bearden) / 10:00a – 2:00p
Earthfare Supermarket (Turkey Creek) / 10:00a – 2:00p
Market Square (Downtown) / 10:00a – 2:00p
Friday, October 22
Clinton Fall Festival (outside Sam Franklin Florists) / 10:00a – 3:00p
Saturday, October 23
Earthfare Supermarket (Bearden) / 10:00a – 2:00p
Earthfare Supermarket (Turkey Creek) / 10:00a – 2:00p
Market Square (Downtown) / 10:00a – 2:00p
Clinton Fall Festival (outside Sam Franklin Florists) / 10:00a – 3:00p
Saturday, October 30
Earthfare Supermarket (Bearden) / 10:00a – 2:00p
Earthfare Supermarket (Turkey Creek) / 10:00a – 2:00p
Market Square (Downtown) / 10:00a – 2:00p
Thank you for supporting RAF and enjoy your flowers in the spring!
There are days when my job as Director of Random Acts of Flowers takes my breath away. Today was one of those days.
This morning I was contacted by two members of our community, an editor and a physical therapist, both asking for help from Random Acts of Flowers. A young woman who is losing her battle with cancer wants to marry her fiancé and time is running out. We were asked to provide a bridal bouquet so that she could fulfill her wish to be a blushing bride.
With the help of Samuel Franklin Floral in Clinton and Jackie, the Floral Department Manager at a local Kroger, we were able to deliver a bouquet for the bride, a boutonnière for the groom, and a bouquet to help brighten her hospital room. My heart goes out to her and her family during this difficult time and I am comforted to know that we could help lighten their burden.
Today I shed a tear for the wonderful mission that Random Acts of Flowers is able to fulfill in our community. This is the story of one girl, of one family, a story that is sure to pull the heart strings of many, but there are countless patients and elderly residents in our community to whom we are able to give a moment of cheer in their time of need. I am blessed to be a part of such a wonderful charity!
At times like this it is important to remember that it is the support of our community that makes these efforts possible. Financial donors, volunteers who give selflessly of their time, and business owners who share their trade. Brides who donate the florals from their special day, families who donate flowers in memory of loved ones, and once again businesses in our community who give back. Many thanks to the supporters who stand behind our mission!
Today Random Acts of Flowers completed a circle of giving. Brides are one of our largest donors of flowers. What a joy to be able to give to back to a bride!
Please know that stories like this are only possible because of your support.
– Sage Morgan, Director of Operations
UPDATE:
A family friend followed the Share Your Story link on our website to share the following message.
Arielle and her fiance, Derek, were married in a beautiful ceremony this past Sat. at the healing garden at UT medical. Your flowers were absolutley beautiful. I am very sad to tell you that Arielle passed away on Sunday morning at 11:45am. She is now a beautiful angel in Heaven. Thank you for assisting in a dream for their family.
And here is a letter from the bride’s mom.
My daughter, Arielle-26, was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer in May. Her last wish was to be married. Her condition worsened and we hurriedly put together a wedding in 2 days flat on August 7th. I received a call from Random Acts of Flowers informing me that the bouquets would be taken care of. I cried because of the kindness and generosity of individuals to help make the wedding happen. She was a beautiful bride, we held the wedding ceremony in the garden and had a nice reception afterwards in the Dining Room. Arielle was so happy, a dream come true. She went to be with the Lord the next day. I just wanted to say Thank You for your ministry. It truly touched our hearts.
Our hearts go out to the family. We were very pleased to have helped her realize her special day.
Join us for Art in the Garden – a benefit to support Random Acts of Flowers, for a special evening in Knoxville’s own Secret Garden to help make stories like this possible.
Friday August 20th
Art in the Garden posters will blanket the town starting today. Keep a look out for these promotional posters and encourage art/charity supporters to attend what will surely be a great event!
Posters to promote the Art in the Garden special event – Kids Day in the Garden – hit the town today! Keep on the lookout for these colorful posters and encourage people to bring their kids to a fun-filled event in Knoxville’s “secret garden!”
Saturday, August 21st / 9:00a-1:00p @ Knoxville Botanical Gardens
Share charity with your children during a fun-filled day of activities! On Saturday, August 21st, the Knoxville Botanical Garden comes alive with free fun for children of all ages including a Create-A-Craft area, Yoga for Kids demonstration, StoryTime with the Imagination Library, Kids-Art exhibition, HABIT dogs, bounce-house, food, and much more!
All proceeds from Kids Day in the Garden benefit Random Acts of Flowers, a local charity dedicated to uplifting a person’s spirit. Our volunteers repurpose flowers and make botanical deliveries to needy patients in area hospitals, nursing homes and hospice care centers.
Price = FREE!!!
