Tag: illinois
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!
[vimeo id=”310380856″ width=”1200″ height=”700″ autoplay=”no” api_params=”” class=””]
A decade ago, Random Acts of Flowers (RAF) made its first official delivery. With a strong vision and a simple mission, co-founders Larsen and Adrian Jay started what has become a nationwide phenomenon. Over the past ten years, Random Acts of Flowers has delivered more than 340,000 bouquets of recycled flowers to individuals in hospitals, assisted living facilities, and hospice, and the organization has repurposed more than 356,000 vases, all thanks to the more than 161,000 hours put in by dedicated volunteers. Currently, the RAF mission serves four communities in the US – Knoxville, Tampa Bay, Chicago, and Indianapolis – and has inspired more than two dozen smaller organizations in communities from coast to coast, as well as in the UK.From Sunday, July 22nd through Tuesday, July 24th, Random Acts of Flowers employees from all four branches and the national headquarters will converge on Knoxville for a company retreat focused on making the next ten years of delivering hope even more successful than the last ten have been.
Knox County mayor Tim Burchett has proclaimed Tuesday July 24th to be Random Acts of Flowers Day.
And, that evening, RAF staff will be joined by board members, donors, volunteers, supporters, and community members for the 10thBirthday Happy Hour party at Clancy’s Tavern in downtown Knoxville.
And, for the past month, supporters have been part of the Random Acts of Flowers 10th Anniversary Challenge, participating in a friendly challenge to collectively raise $10,000 in honor of 10 years of delivering hope. The person who raises the most during this one month challenge will receive one bouquet of flowers a month (sent to the person of their choice) for a whole year – compliments of RAF’s friends at The Flower Pot in Knoxville. Further, a generous donor has agreed to match the donations made through the challenge.
As challenge participant Tiffany Gardner says, “In our busy lives, it’s easy to forget that there are people in communities everywhere who are experiencing health hardships. In hospitals, hospice, and assisted living facilities, people are in need of a reminder that they haven’t been forgotten and that there are people who care about their well-being. RAF does that every day.”
Random Acts of Flowers looks to make more than 110,000 deliveries in 2018 and crest 500,000 deliveries by the end of 2019.
[imageframe lightbox=”no” gallery_id=”” lightbox_image=”” style_type=”none” hover_type=”none” bordercolor=”” bordersize=”0px” borderradius=”0″ stylecolor=”” align=”none” link=”” linktarget=”_self” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”down” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” hide_on_mobile=”no” class=”” id=””] 
[/imageframe][fullwidth background_color=”” background_image=”” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” padding_top=”20″ padding_bottom=”20″ padding_left=”” padding_right=”” hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” menu_anchor=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_text]Many of us will celebrate the longest day of the year – the Summer Solstice on June 21st – by spending time outside with our friends and family, soaking up the sun, and reveling in the fact that we’ve made it another year around the sun while twilight slowly settles around us. But, for many, this longest day has an even greater meaning. The Alzheimer’s Association of America has adopted the summer solstice as their Longest Day and say “The Longest Day is all about love. Love for all those affected by Alzheimer’s disease.”
At Random Acts of Flowers, we’re honoring individuals battling Alzheimer’s, dementia, and other memory-related ailments by celebrating The Brightest Week on June 17-23. With financial support from Eli Lilly and Company, we will make 5,000 deliveries to memory care units at hospital and assisted living facilities in Indianapolis, Knoxville, Chicago, and Tampa Bay during this special week.
“Alzheimer’s has its grasp on more than 5 million people in the United States. But that isn’t just a statistic,” said Phyllis Ferrell, vice president, Lilly global Alzheimer’s disease platform. “It’s my dad. It’s my father-in-law. It’s mothers and fathers. Brothers and sisters. Friends and neighbors. And yes, because Alzheimer’s doesn’t discriminate based on age, it’s sometimes our sons and daughters.”
We encounter recipients facing Alzheimer’s disease at the hospitals and assisted living facilities that we visit on a regular basis. For them – and for us – a bouquet delivery is a welcome bright spot in a world that is turned upside down –[/fusion_text][two_fifth last=”no” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” class=”” id=””][separator style_type=”none” top_margin=”30″ bottom_margin=”” sep_color=”” border_size=”” icon=”” icon_circle=”” icon_circle_color=”” width=”” alignment=”center” class=”” id=””][imageframe lightbox=”no” gallery_id=”” lightbox_image=”” style_type=”none” hover_type=”none” bordercolor=”” bordersize=”0px” borderradius=”0″ stylecolor=”” align=”none” link=”” linktarget=”_self” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”down” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” hide_on_mobile=”no” class=”” id=””] 
[/imageframe][/two_fifth][three_fifth last=”yes” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_text]“My elderly father who suffers from Alzheimer’s was recently admitted to UT Medical Center. He was placed on the oncology wing for lack of space elsewhere. Cancer patients tend to receive lots of flowers and visitors. Once someone has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, a disease we can only hope to manage not cure, friends and even family begin to distance themselves. The sweetest lady came in carrying a bright yellow basket full of carnations, hydrangeas, daffodils and sunflowers. My dad was so excited.
He said, “Those flowers brighten up the whole room, don’t they?” It is amazing how something as small as a basket of flowers can mean so much. Many, many thanks.” – Joanie H.[/fusion_text][/three_fifth][fusion_text]
“I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the flower arrangements you brought. I am especially grateful for the flowers in our Memory Support rooms. My husband has been there since it opened in 2009, and flowers brightened his room until the last petal fell, brightening the days for him, me, and all the caretakers. What pleasure you have given to all of us, and I want you to know how much I appreciate the surprise.” – Marcia E.
And, research has shown that a familiar smell can bring back memories from the past. A study from Jeannette Haviland-Jones, Ph.D at Rutgers University “finds flowers decrease depression, encourage companionship and enrich short-term memories in seniors.”
Sunny Biden from The Pat Summitt Foundation (an organization in Knoxville, TN, fighting Alzheimer’s disease) says “with Alzheimer’s the first thing to go is, short-term memory, so bringing flowers to someone… there’s something nostalgic about a flower that reminds someone of a memory. So, if someone gets a certain flower that they loved, it might bring back a childhood memory that they’re more inclined to remember than a short-term memory.”
Flowers have the ability to brighten a person’s room and their spirits; and, through Eli Lilly and Co.’s generous support, Random Act of Flowers will be able to deliver hope, healing, and personal moments of kindness to 5,000 individuals during The Brightest Week.[/fusion_text][/fullwidth]
Just before the end of a long, frigid, lake-effect winter, Random Acts of Flowers Chicago had the opportunity to feel the warmth of summer through a very special partnership with the Joffrey Ballet. For opening night of the company’s season opener (and North American premiere) Midsummer Night’s Dream, Random Acts of Flowers took center stage for just a moment to share our mission with the performers and the audience.
RAF Chicago’s Executive Director Andrea Lutz reminisced about the experience. “Sitting in the audience, watching this Midsummer Night’s Dream, I was filled with happiness that we were partnering with such a touchstone of the Chicago community and their audience was connecting with us in a new way.”
Volunteers created beautiful, rustic bouquets for the dancers to congratulate them on a wonderful opening night and to share the power of flowers first-hand. One of the dancers even shared the gift with all of her followers on Instagram.
As part of the partnership, RAF Chicago was also featured in the program (see page 42) for Midsummer Night’s Dream, reaching the thousands of audience members who saw the production.
A volunteer who received tickets to attend the performance wrote to Andrea and Sydney. “My husband and I went to the Joffrey Ballet performance on Thursday night, and Midsummer Night’s Dream was fabulous…The ballet was visually surreal, inventive, and like nothing we’d ever seen. Humor, darkness, weirdness, and beauty from one moment to the next, a masterpiece. I can’t thank you enough for the tickets. We wouldn’t have had the experience otherwise!”
Partnerships like the one with the Joffrey Ballet are important to the Random Acts of Flowers mission because it aligns RAF and the mission of delivering hope to a beloved cultural institution’s mission; it puts Random Acts of Flowers front-and-center to a new audience of supporters through advertising space and social media; it gives us an opportunity to thank volunteers who do so much to keep the day-to-day mission running; and it showcases was RAF is about on a larger scale, positioning us a nonprofit to know in the communities we serve.
[youtube id=”YiRc1ZUrHMI” width=”1200″ height=”700″ autoplay=”yes” api_params=”” class=””]
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
[vimeo id=”237920323″ width=”900″ height=”525″ autoplay=”no” api_params=”” class=””]
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
Random Acts of Flowers, ProFlowers and Sun Valley Floral Farms Partner to Donate Flowers to Veterans
P
roFlowers charity partners
will deliver 90,000 bright, beautiful Royal Lilies
in honor of Memorial Day.
SAN DIEGO, May 25, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — To honor the brave men and women who have served our country, leading online floral gifting brand ProFlowers® (NASDAQ: FTD) and Sun Valley Floral Farms will donate and deliver 90,000 Royal Lilies to charities, veteran’s hospitals and centers around the nation. Random Acts of Flowers, ProFlowers charity partner whose ongoing mission is to create moments of kindness in healthcare facilities, will deliver the beautiful, bright bouquets throughout the third and fourth weeks of May in honor of Military Appreciation Month and Memorial Day.
Lilies represent appreciation, and Sun Valley’s Royal Spring lilies are an exclusive hybrid species of Asiatic-Longiflorum Lilies. Their blooms are bigger than traditional Asiatic Lilies, they have the longest vase life of any lily, and they boast the widest variety of colors including wonderful hues of peach, pink, orange and yellow. ProFlowers, Sun Valley and Random Acts of Flowers wanted to honor hospitalized and disabled military members who have served our country with the fresh flowers.
ProFlowers trucks are transporting the lilies to charity partners in Chicago, Indianapolis, Knoxville, Silicon Valley, Sacramento and Portland. Random Acts of Flowers and ProFlowers employee volunteers will deliver the bouquets to veterans in locations including Hines VA Hospital, Evanston Vet Center, Richard Roudebush Medical Center, the Palo Alto VA and others.
Since 1998, ProFlowers works directly with top-quality growers such as Sun Valley to deliver fresh flowers at a great value right to your recipient’s doorstep. Sun Valley is one of the largest grower/distributors of specialty cut flowers in the United States with farms in Northern and Southern California.
Random Acts of Flowers is ProFlowers main charity partner. To date, ProFlowers has donated more than 38,000 bouquets — 460,000 flowers — to the organization for its ongoing mission.
“At ProFlowers, our mission is to inspire, support and delight people through the gifting of fresh, beautiful flowers, while also doing our part to support the communitiesin which we live and operate,” said ProFlowers General Manager and Senior Vice President Laura Szeliga. “Honoring the lives, courage and legacy of our military is a part of that, and we know how much a simple gesture such as a vase of bright flowers can make a really meaningful impact. It goes a long way.”
“It is through ProFlowers and all of our partners’ continued support that brings our mission of delivering hope alive, day in and day out,” said Random Acts of Flowers National Programs and Strategic Growth Director Kellie Doyle. “We are also especially grateful to Sun Valley for these beautiful lilies. It will bring so many smiles to veterans across the country.”
Sun Valley Floral Farms President Lane DeVries said, “It is an honor to participate in this program and share our flowers with veterans across the United States. The men and women who selflessly serve in our nation’s military deserve our admiration. We are humbled by their service and see this small gesture as a way to say thank you.”
ProFlowers offers deep discounts to men and women in uniform at www.proflowers.com/militarydiscount. Visit ProFlowers.com for super-premium quality flowers for any kind of occasion including birthdays, anniversaries and “just because.”
About FTD Companies, Inc.
FTD Companies, Inc. is a premier floral and gifting company. Through our diversified family of brands, we provide floral, specialty foods, gifts and related products to consumers primarily in the United States and the United Kingdom. We also provide floral products and services to retail florists and other retail locations throughout these same geographies. FTD has been delivering flowers since 1910 and the highly-recognized FTD® and Interflora® brands are supported by the iconic Mercury Man logo®, which is displayed in nearly 35,000 floral shops in over 125 countries. In addition to FTD and Interflora, our diversified portfolio of brands includes the following trademarks: ProFlowers®, ProPlants®, Shari’s Berries®, Personal Creations®, RedEnvelope®, Flying Flowers®, Flowers Direct™, Ink Cards™, Postagram™ and Gifts.com™. FTD Companies, Inc. is headquartered in Downers Grove, Ill. For more information, please visit www.ftdcompanies.com.
SOURCE FTD Companies, Inc.
[fullwidth background_color=”” background_image=”” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding_top=”20″ padding_bottom=”20″ padding_left=”” padding_right=”” hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” menu_anchor=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_text]
Meet Some of our Volunteers Across the Nation
[/fusion_text][one_full last=”yes” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_text]
Al and Liz Chase – Chicago
RAF Chicago volunteers, Al and Liz Chase, have a very simple reason for their more than a year of involvement in our mission of delivering hope. “We like flowers; almost everybody likes flowers. Delivering them is such a loving act. The hippies bringing love to the world in the 1960s and 70s were called flower children, and one of their mottoes was flower power. We are the flower children of 2017.”
For this married couple, it’s all about the love, and they believe that love is the most important aspect of the RAF mission. “Make people feel worthy and loved because their lives mean something. Often, we walk into rooms with no sign of love or hope. Bringing light into these lives is what is important. Thanking veterans for their service and bringing comfort to old or sick people.” They know that delivering hope can not only brighten someone’s day, but can brighten their whole outlook on life.
The Chases are also rightfully proud of their very successful vase drives. Al reports that, “Liz has done the organizing of a local vase drive that collected several hundred vases in 2016. We have a collection bin in front of our house and at the yoga studio. A walk around our neighborhood, dropping letters in mailboxes on a couple of blocks, resulted in 30 to 50 vases being dropped off over the next several days.”[/fusion_text][/one_full][imageframe lightbox=”no” gallery_id=”” lightbox_image=”” style_type=”none” hover_type=”none” bordercolor=”” bordersize=”0px” borderradius=”0″ stylecolor=”” align=”center” link=”” linktarget=”_self” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”down” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” hide_on_mobile=”no” class=”” id=””] 
[/imageframe][one_full last=”yes” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”down” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_text]
Karen Karmolinski – Indianapolis
As RAF Indianapolis prepared to open its doors last October, it welcomed a group of enthusiastic new volunteers, including Karen Karmolinski. She became one of the branches first volunteers, inspired by the simplicity of the mission and filled with the desire to pay it forward to her community.
Karen believes that “the mission of delivering hope is a small but important step in healing the body and soul. This random act of care and kindness lets people know that there are others out there who love them.” For her, just knowing that the work we do will touch the hearts of others motivates her to stay involved with Random Acts of Flowers.
And, she knows the healing power of flowers firsthand. Her daughter-in-law has spent three years battling stage 4 melanoma, resulting in many hospital stays. This experience has inspired her to try to bring light to families in similarly tough situations through her volunteer work.
When she’s not delivering hope and encouragement with with Random Acts of Flowers Indianapolis, Karen enjoys spending time with family and friends, gardening, reading, and helping others in our community.[/fusion_text][/one_full][imageframe lightbox=”no” gallery_id=”” lightbox_image=”” style_type=”none” hover_type=”none” bordercolor=”” bordersize=”0px” borderradius=”0″ stylecolor=”” align=”center” link=”” linktarget=”_self” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”down” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” hide_on_mobile=”no” class=”” id=””] [/imageframe][one_full last=”yes” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_text]
Sara Clapp – Knoxville
Sara Clapp is a brand-new volunteer at the Knoxville branch. Her first day in the workshop was less than a month ago, but she already loves working on helping make the mission of delivering hope run.
Her experience with the mission has a much longer history, however. “My late husband was diagnosed with leukemia (CML) in November of 2014, and was the receipient of a poinsettia on Christmas Eve.” Two years later, he received a second delivery just before he passed away. Sara’s first-hand connection makes her volunteerism all the more heartfelt. “We appreciated the flowers he was given and I thought this was something I would enjoy.”
Her grown children embrace and encourage Sara’s participation at the Random Acts of Flowers workshop, and she’s already become a familiar smiling face to other volunteers, Knoxville staff, and the staff at the National Headquarters. RAF CMO and COO, Cindy McConkey Cox had the chance to chat with Sara on her first day volunteering and says, “Sara has a light about her that you just want to share. She came into the Knoxville branch mission-focused and ready to make a difference in people’s lives. We are lucky to have volunteers like her.”
When not at the RAF workshop, Sara enjoys walking with her Silver Sneakers class and reading.[/fusion_text][/one_full][imageframe lightbox=”no” gallery_id=”” lightbox_image=”” style_type=”none” hover_type=”none” bordercolor=”” bordersize=”0px” borderradius=”0″ stylecolor=”” align=”center” link=”” linktarget=”_self” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”down” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” hide_on_mobile=”no” class=”” id=””] [/imageframe][one_full last=”yes” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_text]
Patty Peasley – Silicon Valley
Patty Peasley’s interest in the healing power of flowers began at an early age when her mother’s green thumb inspired her. “I was always surrounded by gorgeous flowers in the garden. As a youngster, I was encouraged to make May baskets and deliver them to neighbors.” Today, her husband of 51 years encourages her work with RAF. “He sees the joy it brings me.”
A volunteer since April 2015, Patty loves that “RAF gives volunteers the opportunity to share in the celebration of life by delivering flowers to others who are often isolated from the real pleasures, including social contact and nature.”
While she has made many memories during her time as a volunteer, one delivery stands out to her. “I recall an elderly man who was so gracious…He asked that each flower be identified and then wanted to know more about RAF. He stated that he had never received flowers of his own and was so delighted that someone thought of him.”
Patty’s advice to potential volunteers is to “follow the passion in your life and put your energy into it. RAF has afforded me that opportunity, and I recommend it to anyone. You walk away feeling that you are the one who has received a gift.”[/fusion_text][/one_full][imageframe lightbox=”no” gallery_id=”” lightbox_image=”” style_type=”none” hover_type=”none” bordercolor=”” bordersize=”0px” borderradius=”0″ stylecolor=”” align=”center” link=”” linktarget=”_self” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”down” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” hide_on_mobile=”no” class=”” id=””] [/imageframe][one_full last=”yes” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_text]
Shari Schwartz – Tampa Bay
For Shari Schwartz, the perpetual spring and summer weather in Tampa Bay is what put her in the right place at the right time to become an RAF volunteer. Soon after the branch opened in late 2013, snowbird Shari saw a newspaper article that inspired her to put her experience as a floral arranger to good use; and, with the encouragement and support of her husband, she became a dedicated volunteer during the months that they spend in Florida.
Three years and dozens of deliveries later, Shari still finds joy in arranging flowers and delivering hope in Tampa Bay. To her, the most important thing that Random Acts of Flowers does is bring smiles to the faces of people who are in a tough moment in their lives, and those smiles are what motivate her to stay involved.
She and her husband deliver bouquets to the VA hospital once a month, and she considers it an honor to give back to the veterans, thanking them for their service. When not volunteering at Random Acts of Flowers, Shari enjoys cooking, reading, and – of course – enjoying the beautiful Florida weather.[/fusion_text][/one_full][/fullwidth]