Category: Blog
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Everyone agrees. RAF Indianapolis is a special place. Each day I enter the workshop on 54th Street, I think RAF could stand for Random Acts of Friendship. Maybe it’s the sweet smell of fresh flowers and the happy chatter combined with the collective sense of purpose. It just feels good. The moment one engages in this mission, the magic begins. Whether it’s knocking on the door of a neighbor to collect a vase or two, or regularly volunteering in the workshop, moments of kindness happen long before the vase of flowers is delivered.
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Getting to Know Larsen Jay
by Mike Steely
In this week’s Getting to Know feature, The Knoxville Focus chatted with someone who positively impacts other people, people he may never meet, and what he does comes as a welcomed surprise and sometimes brings tears of gratitude.
Larsen Jay is a husband, father, Knox County Commissioner and founder of Random Act of Flowers. Most people don’t know that Jay also has a background in TV and movie production.
How has your position as founder and CEO of Random Acts of Flowers worked for you?
It has been thrilling, half terrifying and always exciting as we continue to help the community. My wife and I were involved in many things before this, like bringing the ice rink back downtown, starting the East Tennessee Chili Cook Off and the Daddy-Daughter Dance, restoring a historic building and serving on nonprofit boards. We started Random Acts of Flowers as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization and thought we’d hand it off after it got started. It accepts no public funds, everything is donated and nothing is wasted. We exist through grants, corporate support, and private, direct fund raising.
We now have four branches around the country, 18 employees and over 2,000 volunteers and are approaching our 500,000th floral delivery. It’s going very well.[/fusion_text][button link=”http://knoxfocus.com/archives/this-weeks-focus/getting-know-larsen-jay/” color=”default” size=”xlarge” stretch=”” type=”” shape=”” target=”_blank” title=”” gradient_colors=”|” gradient_hover_colors=”|” accent_color=”” accent_hover_color=”” bevel_color=”” border_width=”” icon=”” icon_position=”left” icon_divider=”no” modal=”” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”1″ animation_offset=”” alignment=”center” class=”” id=””]Read the Full Story Here[/button]
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Random Acts of Flowers Has Recycled
Over 400,000 Bouquets for Patients & Nursing Homes
In 2007, Random Acts of Flowers founder Larsen Jay was in a near-fatal accident landing him in a Tennessee hospital bed. Aside from expert medical care, he also credits the bouquets of flowers generously sent by friends and family in helping him heal and persevere through the multiple surgeries and challenging recovery process.
Leaving the hospital, he noticed how some patients didn’t have cheery flowers to give them an emotional lift as he had. The first Random Acts of Flowers donation was made that day when he re-purposed his bouquets and delivered them from his wheelchair.[/fusion_text][button link=”http://www.flowerpowerwithjill.com/random-acts-of-flowers-has-recycled-over-400000-cheery-bouquets/” color=”default” size=”xlarge” stretch=”” type=”” shape=”” target=”_self” title=”” gradient_colors=”|” gradient_hover_colors=”|” accent_color=”” accent_hover_color=”” bevel_color=”” border_width=”” icon=”” icon_position=”left” icon_divider=”no” modal=”” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”1″ animation_offset=”” alignment=”center” class=”” id=””]Read Full Coverage Here[/button]
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As we kick off delivering hope in 2019, we wanted to reflect on some of the highlights of 2018.
Here’s just a small sampling of the milestones and moments that defined our last year here
at Random Acts of Flowers!
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Festival of Trees back at Indiana Historical Society
(WISH-TV, 12.4.2018)
We are so thrilled to be part of the community participating in the Festival of Trees at the Indiana Historical Society. Check out our coverage on WISH-TV and then head down to see the 80 trees in person. Don’t forget to vote for RAF Indy as your favorite tree!
