Random Acts of Flowers Founder, Larsen Jay, Awarded
Prestigious NSDAR Conservation Medal
Nashville, Tenn. (Saturday, April 23) – The founder and CEO of Tennessee-based nonprofit Random Acts of Flowers, Larsen Jay, was awarded the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) Conservation Medal during the Tennessee Society State Conference today. The prestigious Conservation Medal is one of the NSDAR’s highest honors in the field of conservation and can be awarded at the chapter or state level.
Jay was recognized for his distinguished conservation record related to the creation of Random Acts of Flowers in 2008. Random Acts of Flowers recycles and repurposes flowers by engaging dedicated volunteer teams to deliver beautiful bouquets and moments of kindness to individuals in healthcare facilities across the country. Started in Knoxville, Tenn., Random Acts of Flowers has grown with additional locations in Chicago, Silicon Valley, and Tampa Bay, with a fifth branch set to open in Indianapolis this fall.
“To receive this award from the Daughters of the American Revolution, an organization with such a rich history and time-honored reputation, is incredibly validating to me personally and to our organization,” said Jay, who received the award during the Tennessee Society State Conference in nearby Franklin, Tenn., where more than 600 members and honorees attended. “Taking others’ trash and turning it into ‘personable treasure’ is the heart of Random Acts of Flowers’ mission. By striving to be a 100% recycling nonprofit organization, we believe this allows Random Acts of Flowers to nourish the health of the environment, individuals, and the community.”
Random Acts of Flowers doesn’t stop its “green” initiatives with just repurposing flowers. Each branch recycles and reuses every part of the donated flower arrangements including ribbons, wire, foam, buckets, baskets, vases, moss, and stands. Every month Random Acts of Flowers processes more than 2,000 vases alone, keeping them from going in landfills.
The Conservation Committee of the NSDAR was established in 1909 and has an impressive record of conservation of our natural resources. Jay was put forward for the award by the Knox County DAR chapters.
“Larsen Jay and the work he has spearheaded made him an obvious candidate for this prestigious honor. His work with Random Acts of Flowers has been nationally recognized and has touched many people in Knoxville and across the country. It was time for those of us in his hometown to bring his name forward for this national award,” said Marisa Moazen, Chairperson of the Knox County Council of Regents, the group who selected Jay for the award.
The Knox County Council of Regents is comprised of the Regents of the five Daughters of the American Revolution Chapters in Knox County, Tenn., which include the Andrew Bogle Chapter (Pat Chambers, Regent), Bonny Kate Chapter (Joyce Condry, Regent), Cavett Station Chapter (Julia Cowart, Regent), Emory Road Chapter (Marisa Moazen, Regent), and Samuel Frazier Chapter (Jyl Smithson, Regent). The combined membership of these five chapters is over 300 women.
The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) was founded in 1890 to promote patriotism, preserve American history, and support better education for our nation’s children. Its members are descended from the patriots who won American independence during the Revolutionary War. With more than 165,000 members in approximately 3,000 chapters worldwide, DAR is one of the world’s largest and most active service organizations. To learn more about the work of today’s DAR, visit www.DAR.org.
