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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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!
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.
 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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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
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
As a result of the overwhelming support of the community in the form of floral donations Random Acts of Flowers sometimes finds ourselves with more flowers than we can process in a timely manner. During these times of overrun we have begun to deliver buckets of flowers and boxes of vases to assisted living facilities for floral arranging activities. We have had a wonderful response from the activities directors and residents of these facilities! Below is a story from Linda C, a volunteer who recently dropped buckets and boxes at an area facility.
On July 8, 2010, I had the opportunity to deliver flowers and vases to Heritage Assisted Living Facility so the residents could make arrangements themselves. The residents thought the flowers and vases were beautiful. They were thrilled to be able to make the arrangements themselves. It was very heartwarming!!
On the day I was there, each of the residents planned to keep one arrangement, and deliver the additional arrangements to other residents who were not able to participate. This was a meaningful activity for them.
Thank you to Linda for sharing your story! If you have received a delivery from our organization, have volunteered with us, or just have something you would like to say, please follow this link to Share Your Story.
