Flower Fairy Godmother
Donation protected
FLower Fairy Godmother
I am starting something that is leaving me terrified and excited all at the same time. Now a little context--I am a freelance writer and editor, who basically works all the time to make ends meet. And sometimes the ends are bit farther apart than others.
But one day I was standing in line at a store that wishes to remain anonymous and noticed they had an area where they sold flowers. I wondered what they did with all the "old flowers." So I went to talk to the florist and learned that they sell them at a deep discount or throw them away. So on an impulse I asked if I could buy them and give them away.
So I bought (having no extra money, you know) about $700 worth of flowers for $35 and then went to oncology centers, women's care, nursing homes etc. and gave away bunches of flowers. I went to nearby doctor's office and told him to give the bouquet to the person he had to give the hardest news to the next day. He blinked and blinked and said, "I can do that." I went to the mammogram center and said to give a bouquet to next few women who get "bad reports." I just gave away flowers where I thought there would be hurting people.
When I was asked, I said I was the Flower Fairy Godmother. I simply told the people I gave the flowers to to give a bouquet to the next hurting person that came through their doors.
The reaction was overwhelming. People just stood there in utter shock. On my first foray, I think I gave away about 30 bouquets that retail for 15 to 50 each.
The florist called the next day and said, "I have more flowers! You want them?" She was so excited to know that the "old" flowers were going to brighten people's lives.
So I picked up another car load of flowers and began distributing them to ocology centers, vets (I said give them to the next person who has to put down a beloved pet), a few very sad, grumpy looking people on the street...just any place that I knew people could use the anonymous gift of flowers.
The next carload I went to a nursing home and a fire station. I have plans to take them to a women's shelter, several nursing homes, a right to life center and any other place that I can think of where people might need the reminder that there is beauty in the world and we are all beloved sons and daughters of God.
The reaction has been beyond belief. People stand there with their mouths hanging open. So all of a sudden, I seem to have been catapulted into something bigger than myself. Something that feels just HUGE.
Today the florist told me that I can have flowers twice a week!!! On average I pay about a dollar per bunch and another dollar for the Dollar Store Vase, if I use one. I figure it costs me about 2.50 per bouquet to pick up, arrange and deliver.
Now if I won the lottery, I would do this full-time because I'm sure there are plenty of other places who throw out perfectly good flowers. So that's why I'm asking for donations. I'd like to set up a website with an email so that people who know shut-ins or those with chronic illness could get a free bunch of flowers, too.
And I'd like to get some business cards with a Flower Fairy Godmother printed up---because I really don't need or want people to know who I am. Just that there is a Flower Fairy Godmother out there who is trying to bring a little light to an often dark and painful world. And set up a blog, as well.
I was raised never to ask for help, but I'm sucking up my pride and tossing this out there. I just sort of randomly selected a goal but anything would make a difference.
Just for context, if I have 200 a month to spend, I could give away about 4000 dollars worth of flowers....and love. Anything you can give toward helping me with my expenses would be awesome.
Here are some pictures of my car with loads of flowers ready to either be put in vases or given away as is.
I would be very grateful for any aid you can give me in making the world just a little bit happier, brighter and more positive.
The Flower Fairy Godmother aka Woodeene
I am starting something that is leaving me terrified and excited all at the same time. Now a little context--I am a freelance writer and editor, who basically works all the time to make ends meet. And sometimes the ends are bit farther apart than others.
But one day I was standing in line at a store that wishes to remain anonymous and noticed they had an area where they sold flowers. I wondered what they did with all the "old flowers." So I went to talk to the florist and learned that they sell them at a deep discount or throw them away. So on an impulse I asked if I could buy them and give them away.
So I bought (having no extra money, you know) about $700 worth of flowers for $35 and then went to oncology centers, women's care, nursing homes etc. and gave away bunches of flowers. I went to nearby doctor's office and told him to give the bouquet to the person he had to give the hardest news to the next day. He blinked and blinked and said, "I can do that." I went to the mammogram center and said to give a bouquet to next few women who get "bad reports." I just gave away flowers where I thought there would be hurting people.
When I was asked, I said I was the Flower Fairy Godmother. I simply told the people I gave the flowers to to give a bouquet to the next hurting person that came through their doors.
The reaction was overwhelming. People just stood there in utter shock. On my first foray, I think I gave away about 30 bouquets that retail for 15 to 50 each.
The florist called the next day and said, "I have more flowers! You want them?" She was so excited to know that the "old" flowers were going to brighten people's lives.
So I picked up another car load of flowers and began distributing them to ocology centers, vets (I said give them to the next person who has to put down a beloved pet), a few very sad, grumpy looking people on the street...just any place that I knew people could use the anonymous gift of flowers.
The next carload I went to a nursing home and a fire station. I have plans to take them to a women's shelter, several nursing homes, a right to life center and any other place that I can think of where people might need the reminder that there is beauty in the world and we are all beloved sons and daughters of God.
The reaction has been beyond belief. People stand there with their mouths hanging open. So all of a sudden, I seem to have been catapulted into something bigger than myself. Something that feels just HUGE.
Today the florist told me that I can have flowers twice a week!!! On average I pay about a dollar per bunch and another dollar for the Dollar Store Vase, if I use one. I figure it costs me about 2.50 per bouquet to pick up, arrange and deliver.
Now if I won the lottery, I would do this full-time because I'm sure there are plenty of other places who throw out perfectly good flowers. So that's why I'm asking for donations. I'd like to set up a website with an email so that people who know shut-ins or those with chronic illness could get a free bunch of flowers, too.
And I'd like to get some business cards with a Flower Fairy Godmother printed up---because I really don't need or want people to know who I am. Just that there is a Flower Fairy Godmother out there who is trying to bring a little light to an often dark and painful world. And set up a blog, as well.
I was raised never to ask for help, but I'm sucking up my pride and tossing this out there. I just sort of randomly selected a goal but anything would make a difference.
Just for context, if I have 200 a month to spend, I could give away about 4000 dollars worth of flowers....and love. Anything you can give toward helping me with my expenses would be awesome.
Here are some pictures of my car with loads of flowers ready to either be put in vases or given away as is.
I would be very grateful for any aid you can give me in making the world just a little bit happier, brighter and more positive.
The Flower Fairy Godmother aka Woodeene
Organizer
Woodeene Koenig-Bricker
Organizer
Eugene, OR