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10 Fun Flower Facts for National Poinsettia Day

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10 Fun Flower Facts for National Poinsettia Day

  1. The poinsettia’s association with Christmas comes from a Mexican legend. The story goes that a child, with no means for a gift, gathered humble weeds from the side of the road to place at the church alter on Christmas Eve. As the congregation watched, the weeds turned into brilliant red and green flowers.
  2. But, the most beautiful “petals” on the plant aren’t flowers at all, but lush red, white, or green leaves. The flowers are actually the little yellow buds in the center of each collection of leaves (the collection of leaves is called a bracht).
  3. In the US, the poinsettia is named after the US Ambassador to Mexico, Joel Roberts Poinsett, who introduced the flower to us in 1825.
  4. However, the poinsettia is also known as the Christmas Star, Christmas Flower, Mexican Flame Leaf, Lobster Flower, Winter Rose, Flores de Nochebuena (“Flowers of the Holy Night – Christmas Eve), Crown of the Andes, and, in Turkey, Atakurk’s Flower (named after the founder of modern Turkey).
  5. Many people believe that poinsettias are highly toxic, but that is a myth. While it’s not recommended for people or animals to eat poinsettias, a 50 lb. child would have to eat 500 leaves to have a major reaction. Some people who have a latex allergy might find skin contact with poinsettia sap irritates their skin.
  6. The poinsettia is December’s birth flower.
  7. Left to its own devices, a poinsettia bush can grow to heights of 10 to 15 feet.
  8. There are more than 100 varieties of poinsettias available today. Poinsettias can grow in colors like the traditional red, white, pink, burgundy, marbled, and speckled.
  9. More than 35 MILLION potted poinsettias are sold every year in the US, accounting for almost one quarter of the potted plants sold.
  10. Random Acts of Flowers branches will bring a little extra cheer to more than 5,000 vulnerable individuals in hospitals and healthcare facilities across the country by delivering poinsettias and other holiday flowers. Find out more on how you can support delivering hope during this season of giving on the Knoxville, Tampa Bay, Chicago, Silicon Valley, and Indianapolis branch websites.

 

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Once the Flowers Arrive, the Real Magic Begins. (The Flyer Group, 11.10.2017)

Once the Flowers Arrive, the Real Magic Begins

(The Flyer Group, 11.10.2017)

by Sara Nahrwold

In just one year, Random Acts of Flowers Indianapolis has delivered more than 17,000 flower arrangements to the area’s most vulnerable residents in hospitals, nursing homes and hospice facilities. The organization already has its eyes on year number two.

“It’s been great, overwhelming,” Lindsay Potter, program director for Random Acts of Flowers, said.

Since its inception, the business has stayed true to its mission — to improve the emotional health and well-being of individuals in health care facilities by delivering recycled flowers, encouragement and personal moments of kindness. Now, it’s looking to continue fulfilling that mission by adding another partner.

Potter recently met with Linda Ryser, patient liaison and manager of service excellence and volunteer services at Indiana University Health West Hospital in Avon. Ryser said the two talked about the mission, the history of the business and the organizational structure of the company.

“IU Health West enthusiastically agreed to partner with Random Acts of Flowers,” Ryser said. “Besides their mission of providing encouragement and kindness to patients, Random Acts of Flowers is also dedicated to recycling 100 percent of the arrangements they receive in order to keep these floral materials out of landfills. This is hugely important to the employees of IU Health West who have been participating in a recycling program at our hospital for several years.”

The Beginning

The Indianapolis chapter is part of the national organization of Random Acts of Flowers. The company’s founder and CEO, Larsen Jay, was in a near fatal accident in 2007. He was overwhelmed at the hospital with flowers from people showing their support and said that impacted his recovery.

“He saw people come and go that didn’t have visitors,” Potter said. When he got better, he repurposed his flowers and set out to deliver the first “random act of flowers.”

The company then formed in 2008 in Knoxville, Tenn., and has added locations in Chicago, Silicon Valley, Tampa Bay and Indianapolis.

How it Works

Random Acts of Flowers operates within a 30-minute radius from Indianapolis. The company has delivered to locations in Plainfield and Brownsburg.

Donated flowers are brought to the organization’s shop, whether that’s by individuals or companies. Random Acts of Flowers receives flowers from funerals, weddings, wholesalers (flowers that didn’t sell) and grocery stores (because of sell-by dates).

“We aren’t competing with the floral industry, we depend on the floral industry,” Potter said.

For example, someone can’t call Random Acts of Flowers and send $30 to have flowers delivered to grandma at the hospital. That still falls under the floral industry.

Once the flowers arrive, the real magic begins.

“We have a team that takes everything apart and sorts through what we can/can’t use,” Potter said. “We compost what we can’t use.”

Once the flowers are sorted and deemed good enough to reuse, arranging begins. The volunteers usually have a goal to make about 200 flower arrangements a day.

Afterwards, the flowers are delivered with the help of staff at hospitals and nursing homes and Random Acts of Flowers volunteers.

The organization works closely with hospitals and other medical facilities to figure out who to give the flowers to. Some base it on who needs it the most, who hasn’t gotten flowers/visitors or if someone receives life-changing news. Other hospitals have a policy if one person on the floor gets an arrangement, then everyone does.

“We believe in the power of flowers to enhance moods,” Potter said. “It’s really about that connection.”

Moving Forward

Looking ahead, Random Acts of Flowers Indianapolis hopes to deliver around 25,000 arrangements next year.

“We are trying to create new partnerships with hospitals,” Potter said. “We constantly want to find new places and new flowers to rescue.”

Random Acts of Flowers is finalizing the preparatory work with the hospital in hopes that the bouquets will be delivered to patients within the next few months.

Overall, the success has been overwhelming. “Indianapolis has been great for [Random Acts of Flowers],” Potter said. “There’s a wonderful floral community here.”

One of the big areas the organization needs help with is vases, which can also be donated at the office. They go through about 300 a week.

“When you see an organization such as Random Acts of Flowers reaching out and sharing joy in this way, it not only lifts the spirits of the patients, but also their families and friends, the caregivers who treat the patients, and the community as a whole,” Ryser said.

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Indianapolis Colts’ Jabaal Sheard Delivers Flowers To Breast Cancer Patients (Colts.com, 10.25.17)

Indianapolis Colts’ Jabaal Sheard Delivers Flowers
To Breast Cancer Patients

(Colts.com, 10.25.17)

Tuesday was a day off for Colts linebacker Jabaal Sheard – his only day off of the week. He could have spent it any way he wanted to. But what he wanted to do was spread happiness.

“I know it’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month and I thought, ‘What can I do to bring someone a smile?’ And I thought of flowers.”

He teamed up with Random Acts of Flowers and walked the halls of IU Health’s Simon Cancer Center delivering flowers to breast cancer patients.

“Hey, beautiful. I’ve got some flowers for you,” he said as he strolled into Heidi Reimer’s examination room. “It’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I just wanted to come out and put a smile on your face.”

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

by Heather Lloyd

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Chicago Patron Society Knoxville Patron Society Newsroom

‘Voice’ Winner Makes Special Flower Delivery to Cancer Patient (Inside Edition, 10.19.17)

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Chris Blue, Winner of The Voice Helps Random Acts of Flowers Celebrate a Quarter Million Deliveries of Hope and Healing

Winner of THE VOICE Helps Celebrate
a Quarter Million Deliveries of Hope and Healing

Rising Pop Vocalist Chris Blue to Make Milestone Delivery
to Cancer Patients at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital

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It is such a simple idea, and yet it has had such a meaningful impact on a quarter million people across the country who are battling injury, illness and the aging process.

Today marks the 250,000th delivery by Random Acts of Flowers, the national nonprofit that improves the emotional health and wellbeing of individuals in healthcare facilities by delivering recycled flowers, encouragement and personal moments of kindness. The special moment is set to take place at Chicago’s Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, with rising pop star and winner of The Voice, Chris Blue, Joining volunteers in delivering the healing bouquets to oncology patients in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

“I never imagined how far reaching this would be when we started Random Acts of Flowers,” said founder and CEO Larsen Jay, who was moved to give back after suffering a near-fatal accident and personally experiencing the healing power of flowers during his recovery. (See the RAF story.) “We owe so much to the thousands of volunteers, the community leaders, our partners and our donors who share our vision to nurture a culture of care and compassion.”

Blue is one of those who shares the vision of Random Acts of Flowers, so much so that he is breaking away from working on his first album in New York with mentor Alicia Keys to make the 250,000th delivery.

“It fits with what I want to do with my music and who I want to be in life,” said Blue, who wowed The Voice judges and viewers alike with his incredible voice range and musical versatility. “I want to inspire people, to be the light and glue to bring people together. That’s what Random Acts of Flowers does every day, offering hope and light to those who are suffering and lonely.”

Numerous studies have shown flowers have a positive impact on patient recovery, with those who have flowers or plants in their rooms experiencing shorter hospital stays and reporting less pain, anxiety, and fatigue. Additionally, flowers have been proven to be a positive emotion-inducer, improving mood and long-term episodic memory in elderly patients.

Random Acts of Flowers was launched in 2008 in Jay’s hometown of Knoxville, Tenn. Its mission quickly spread across the country with additional branches opening in Tampa Bay, Chicago, Silicon Valley and Indianapolis, where a small team and thousands of dedicated volunteers work every day to remind some of the most vulnerable members of their communities that they are loved and cared for.

Nationally, Random Acts of Flowers serves more than 650 healthcare facilities, including hospitals, hospices, dialysis centers, chemotherapy infusion centers, senior living facilities, nursing homes and adult day cares. Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, the premier academic referred hospital for northwest Chicago and north Chicagoland, is one of RAF Chicago’s newest healthcare partners. The 638-bed research hospital offers the most advanced care in its Level I trauma center, Cardiovascular, Orthopedic, Advanced Surgery, Oncology and Neuroscience Centers of Excellence.

SEE COVERAGE ON

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3 Nonprofit Founders Who Are Inspiring Entrepreneurs (Entrepreneur.com, 9.29.17)

Photo by Nadine Priestley Photography.

3 Nonprofit Founders Who Are Inspiring Entrepreneurs

(Entrepreneur.com, 9.29.17)

by Brian Hughes

Who’s your business idol? In entrepreneurship circles, it’s natural to look up to figures like Steve Jobs, Elon Musk and Richard Branson, three innovators who continually inspire people to dream bigger.

While there’s no denying these three leaders are certainly role models, others may receive less media attention but are inspiring nonetheless. In fact, you may be surprised to learn that some of the most inspiring aren’t in the corporate world at all: They’re leading successful nonprofits.

They’re just like us.

Nonprofit leaders have a natural entrepreneurial mindset. They have to, because like startup founders, nonprofit leaders aim to solve a problem by providing goods or services.

In the process, they use creative problem-solving and marketing to raise public awareness and financial support for their vision, just the way entrepreneurs strive to secure financing and build public excitement for their product launches. Many nonprofit leaders also supervise a passionate, paid staff while recruiting and training a robust volunteer force. Moreover, these leaders must be creative, open-minded, flexible and nimble —  just like, you guessed it, entrepreneurs.

Entrepreneurship lesson: Opportunity is everywhere — you just need to think outside the box. In founding Random Acts of Flowers, Jay turned “lemons into lemonade” by finding a creative way to repurpose floral arrangements, bringing joy and vital emotional support to patients when they need it most.

READ FULL ARTICLE HERE

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Random Acts of Flowers Turns Leftover Stems into Smiles (Palo Alto Pulse, 9.26.2017)

Random Acts of Flowers Turns Leftover Stems
into Smiles

(Palo Alto Pulse, 9.26.2017)

Ever visited a friend in the hospital to help lift their spirits and wondered, “But who is there to comfort the people with no friends or family nearby?” That’s where Random Acts of Flowers (RAF) comes in.

Random Acts of Flowers: simple mission, huge impact

RAF is a nonprofit organization with a mission to, “improve the emotional health and well-being of individuals in health care facilities by delivering recycled flowers, encouragement and personal moments of kindness.” Although their mission is simple, the impact of RAF is enormous.

The Silicon Valley branch has delivered almost 25,000 arrangements to nearby hospitals and care facilities, including many in Palo Alto, such as the Veteran’s Administration Hospital, Channing House, Stanford Hospital, Sunrise Assisted Living and Lytton Gardens.

Recycling flowers from local partners including Trader Joe’s

And what’s really cool is that all of RAF’s arrangements are made from leftover flowers that would otherwise be composted, or in many cases, just thrown out.

Local partners for flower donations include Trader Joe’s at Town and Country and Michaela’s Florist. The RAF team also makes a big run to the San Francisco Flower Market every week to fill up on unused blooms that vendors are happy to give away.

Patients and caregivers love the blooms and smiles

And while RAF’s blooms are lovely, patients and hospital caregivers appreciate the smiles and words of encouragement that go along with each delivery even more. Often volunteers stop and visit patients for a few moments to offer additional support as they bring the arrangements to each room.

“Anything that supports and shows our gratitude to veterans keeps me motivated to stay involved, ” said Penny Philips, Chaplain of the Palo Alto Veteran’s Administration Hospital Hospice. “They are always deeply touched receiving flowers as a random act of kindness. Many are actually speechless as they accept the flower gift with a big smile.”

Read Full Article HERE…

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Knoxville Patron Society Newsroom

Farragut Residents Add Cheer with Flowers (Farragut Press, 9.20.2017)

Farragut Residents Add Cheer with Flowers

(Farragut Press, 9.20.2017)

The core idea of Random Acts of Flowers is to re-purpose flowers; for instance, flowers that have just been used at a wedding could be distributed the next day to patients at a hospital or to residents in a nursing home.

This non-profit was founded by Larsen Jay of Knoxville in 2008. He was taken aback by seeing hospital patients without flowers, in contrast to the many that came to his room in the days after recovering from a fall. Jay was inspired to change that imbalance.

Also inspired are Farragut residents Nancy Kirt and Carla Werner, who have been Random Acts of Flowers volunteers for a few years. Both women said they get a lot of joy out of helping with the nonprofit.

When Kirt moved to Linda Heights from Wisconsin three years ago, she came with her Master Gardener credentials. “I always thought delivering flowers would be fun,” she said. “I work in my yard a lot because I enjoy it.” She saw an announcement for volunteers and attended a short orientation at the headquarters off Middlebrook Pike with about 20 others.

“There are a lot of people in Knoxville who volunteer,” she said. “There’s floral prep, there’s designing bouquets, there’s delivery, there are people who wash vases and buckets [so the flowers last longer] and there’s sweeping up,” she said. “People bring flowers to the warehouse after events, such as weddings, and get them from the grocery stores. John Benzinger donates flowers he grows. Sometimes companies donate staff time to do floral prep and sometimes students come in to get in volunteer hours.

“It’s a good environment,” she added about the warehouse. “Depending on the day, there’s usually about 20 to 30 volunteers. The warehouse isn’t air-conditioned, so there’s one very large fan. There’s music playing, there’s a lot of people you can talk to and people are making friendships at the same time. It’s busy. It’s uplifting to be there. I go about once a week for about three hours. You can come and go as you please.”

Werner retired as assistant principal at John Sevier Elementary School seven years ago.

“I knew I wanted to find some things to do on my interest level and I’d always loved flowers,” she said. “I saw an ad in a local magazine. Random Acts of Flowers was just beginning and they had classes where you could go learn design work. I went for three classes and the lady who was the manager of Random Acts who checked people in and assisted said, ‘Why don’t you do some design work at Random Acts of Flowers facility?’ It was a very small organization at the time, just beginning, and everybody did flowers, cleaned vases, whatever needed to be done.

“The flowers that were donated were always taken out of that arrangement and put in containers with water,” she explained. “We always made another original.”

After working in flower design for three or four years, she changed assignments.

“A couple of years ago, they needed someone to drive the delivery van to Maryville. Since I’d taught there, it was natural for me to go to Blount Memorial. Since then they’ve hired a driver, John Cavagrotti.”

Eventually, Werner became a delivery person at Blount Memorial Hospital.

“When the flower arrangements are made, we meet John at the hospital and he has the flowers in the van,” she said. “Blount Memorial has made us part of their volunteer staff.” Werner and two other ladies, Evelyn Weisekoff and Lori Chmielreski, have delivered flowers to patients’ rooms for about three years now.

“I think the part I like the best is when you walk into a room and the patient has received nothing. They have no flowers and they seem to be very sad. When you bring them flowers, it’s an immediate positive reaction most of the time,” Werner added. “You know you’ve done something nice for them today.”

September 21, 2017 by Carolyn Evans

 

Read Full Article HERE

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Cancelled Wedding Flowers Repurposed for Milestone (WTSP Tampa Bay, 9.20.17)

Cancelled Wedding Flowers Repurposed for Milestone

(WTSP Tampa Bay, 9.20.17)

Saturday, Sept. 9, was supposed to be the perfect day. Justin Murphy and Katherine McKoy planned a sandy-toes wedding on Clearwater Beach for months. Only, the ceremony never happened.

Hurricane Irma crossed over land as an enormous Category 4 storm. It made its way up the east coast of Florida the same weekend that Justin and Katherine were set to tie the knot. Nearly 150 guests were supposed to be in town to witness the ceremony. Justin alerted everyone on Wednesday, Sept. 6, that the wedding would have to be put off due to the nasty weather. Safety was the top priority.

The next morning, the couple went down to the Pinellas County Courthouse in suit and gown. Their marriage was made official, albeit without the beautiful sunset they’d hoped for. Then they remembered the flowers. Nearly $2,000 worth of beautifully arranged bouquets would go to waste because of Hurricane Irma’s timing. The Murphys were determined to find a good home for them.

WATCH THE FULL VIDEO STORY HERE

They settled on donating to Dunedin nonprofit, Random Acts of Flowers. The organization takes gently used flowers and distributes them around the community to places like nursing homes and hospitals in hopes that a few pretty petals may bring a smile to someone who needs them. In all, Justin and Katherine’s flowers were able to generate 170 bouquets for Random Acts of Flowers to hand out.

“We are so glad to see a tough and sad situation turned into a positive one,” Justin wrote in a blog post for the nonprofit.

The donation helped RAF hit a long-awaited milestone. The group was able to finally hit a the 50,000-donated bouquet mark they’d been striving towards for years.

The flowers were donated the next week. On September 18, RAF donated its 50,000th bouquet to residents at Florida Hospital North Pinellas who needed to be evacuated because of Hurricane Irma.

“I couldn’t imagine coming to the 50,000 mark in four short years,” said RAF’s Monica Kok.

“My grandmother is in the hospital and she wanted to thank all of you for the flowers that were given to her out of the kindness of your hearts!” said Julie, a family member of a woman who received flowers. “It really made her happy! All I wanted to see was a smile on her face and she smiled like a ray of sunshine!”

The glorious wedding that Justin and Katherine planned didn’t quite work out according to plan, but the kind gesture to donate their unused flowers brought some joy to a few strangers that may have needed it most. “It was bittersweet,” said Katherine. “I knew it was going to people who would greatly appreciate them but it was still hard to watch them go.

WATCH THE FULL VIDEO STORY HERE

© 2017 WTSP-TV

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Random Acts of Flowers Tampa Bay Celebrates 50,000th Delivery

Random Acts of Flowers Tampa Bay
Celebrates 50,000th Delivery

Random Acts of Flowers celebrated a big milestone this fall! On September 19th, 2017, the Tampa Bay branch of RAF in Dunedin, FL delivered its 50,000th bouquet to a recipient at Florida Hospital of North Pinellas. Longtime volunteer Rick Lawrence was very excited to be a part of this special delivery. “I remember RAF’s first delivery at Mease Manor. Immediately, it was such a blessing. Every recipient is genuinely surprised and excited when we come into their room with a beautiful arrangements. I absolutely love it, and I am so happy to be a part of the 50,000th delivery milestone.”

Random Acts of Flowers began when founder Larsen Jay used a personal experience to inspire a simple yet generous mission. After a near-fatal accident, Jay was amazed by the amount of support and encouragement he received as his hospital room filled with beautiful flowers. He soon realized that several of his fellow patients did not receive visitors or flowers, and it became his personal mission to share the floral encouragement he had received. The bouquets he shared with other patients that fateful day serve as the inspiration behind RAF’s mission to improve the emotional health and well-being of individuals in health care facilities by delivering recycled flowers, encouragement, and personal moments of kindness.

“For more than 3 years, the dedicated team at RAF Tampa Bay have focused on the simplicity of kindness, compassion and the delivery of hope. We find great comfort in knowing that the emotional impact of every recycled bouquet delivered in a healthcare facility has a ripple effect far beyond the recipient. This significant milestone serves as an ongoing testament to the volunteer spirit and the generosity behind all who support the Random Acts of Flowers’ mission,” Jay said.

Since launching in November of 2013, the organization has provided personal moments of hope and kindness to individuals throughout the community.