Greeneville, Tenn. – Random Acts of Flowers (RAF), a Knoxville based nonprofit 501(c)3 charity announced today that it will celebrate the official “launch” of the RAF Greeneville branch of the charity next Tuesday. The new branch will serve the Greeneville community and is the second expansion branch of the charity since it announced a nationwide expansion plan last year. Volunteers, supporters, members of the staff and advisory board of directors will gather on Tuesday, January 21st, 10:30 a.m. at Laughlin Memorial Hospital. Remarks will be followed by RAF Greeneville’s first official floral deliveries to residents of Laughlin Memorial Hospital.
“We are ecstatic to be opening our second expansion branch in a little less than three months,” said Random Acts of Flowers Founder and CEO. “I have the utmost confidence in RAF Greeneville Executive Director Angee Woody’s ability to successfully execute delivery of our mission to the community of Greeneville.”
In July 2007, Random Acts of Flowers’ founder, Larsen Jay, was in a near-fatal accident. While confined to his hospital room, the outpouring of support that Larsen received in the form of daily visitors and dozens of floral arrangements immediately aided his long recovery. When Larsen was capable of leaving his room he noticed how many of his fellow patients did not have visitors or flowers – the very thing that helped him so much in those early and difficult days. Within moments the first “random act of flowers” delivery was made, repurposing his flowers and delivering them to patients in nearby hospital rooms. The memories of how a simple gesture touched his fellow patients compelled Larsen to form Random Act of Flowers in 2008 with a simple mission; to collect donated flowers from weddings, memorial services, florists, special events, grocery stores and churches –to recycle and repurpose them into beautiful bouquets for delivery to patients in area hospitals, nursing homes and hospice care centers. In just a few short years, Random Acts of Flowers has held a strong presence in Knoxville, Tennessee and opened its second branch in Pinellas County, Florida in November of last year. RAF Greeneville will serve as the third expansion branch in just a few short years.
“I look forward to building on and continuing the compassionate work that Larsen and Random Acts of Flowers are bringing to people nationally now,” said Angee Woody, Executive Director of RAF Greeneville. “I’m humbled to be a part of such wonderful work and ready to begin recycling flowers into smiles. The work we do here will brighten the lives of so many in the Greeneville community and we have been given so much support. We truly are blessed to have this opportunity.”
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About Random Acts of Flowers
Random Acts of Flowers is a 501(c)(3) non-profit mental health charity that collects donated flowers from weddings, memorial services, florists, special events, grocery stores and churches – to recycle and repurpose them into beautiful bouquets for delivery to patients in area hospitals, nursing homes and hospice care centers. As a recycling “green” charity run almost entirely by volunteers, Random Acts of Flowers is committed to nourishing the health of the environment, individuals, and the community.
For more information, visit www.RandomActsofFlowers.org or for more information on RAF Greeneville visit www.RAFGreeneville.org or find them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RAFGreeneville.
