Friday, November 4, 2011

Delivery on Halloween - 31 October 2011


Thanks to all who came on the snowy, icey Saturday in October.  Who would have predicted that kind of weather in October.  We got started bright and early... 8 am (Teena is always the early bird).  Ten volunteers weathered the storm and made it in.  We worked in the cold garage and chilly basement, only in the 40s.  I had lots of flowers, Anne Harvey from the Herndon Florist  donated fresh mums and Johnny at Traders Joes Reston made Freedom Pedals its number one non-profit flower donation that week.   Every volunteer brought a bouquet as well.  Thanks to all!

We filled 50 coffee cups with oasis and loads of flowers.  Anne gave us two football planters and we filled them with her fresh flowers.  We set them on the two front information desks in the lobby.  I made a very large basket for the seating area and we delivered 4 large bouquets to the chapel and 2 for the Red Cross office.
Large Basket for the Lobby

Joan and I couldn't believe how fast we got there and then how fast we were done.  The cups turned out beautiful and I think if we are scheduled for December we will fill holiday coffee cups once again.

I know that we made a huge difference at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and we were blessed with lots of smiles from the wounded, the doctors and the nurses.  I am so glad we are back in business.  I believe that God wants Freedom Pedals to keep going on this path and he certainly helped us start a new journey.  His flowers are so healing and they bring sunshine to everyone they touch.  Thanks to all my volunteer family for staying close by and fully committed to this project.

Mugs in the Cooler
Witch Hat Pens for Halloween

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Freedom Petals Inc. Still Alive and Kicking

  After our last delivery in July....we put our flowers on hold for a few months while the Walter Reed Army Medical Center was transferring patients, doctors and staff to their new homes at Fort Belvoir and Bethesda.   On September 1st we completed the application process and now through God's hands we have our first visit date of Monday, 31 October (Halloween) at the new Walter Reed National Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.  
  Today we had a practice run to see what the new hospital looks like. I wanted to capture the time it takes, the distance and driving directions.  Joan and I had a very seccessful visit today, we saw the chapel, the redcross office and the hospital wing where we will bring our beautiful flowers.  We can't wait to start our exciting new journey of bringing smiles through flowers to our wounded warriors once again.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

JULY 19th 2011 FINAL DELIVERY TO WALTER REED

“Flowers will fade but his word endures forever.”

Each day is a new day and we worshiped the Lord with gladness.  Freedom Petals last delivery was more wondrous than all our events.  It was filled with a flurry of love, joyful noise in caring conversation and beautiful song.  Walter Reed Army Medical Center has been serving our military community for one hundred and two years and it was such a privilege to be part of its final journey in such a rewarding way. 

The day was very emotional and bitter sweet.   For the first time we delivered flowers to Mologne House and the Hospital in one day.  Keith, Pam and I dropped off 85 arrangements at 9am in the Mologne House cafeteria.  Monica made large signs that said, “Do not touch the flowers.”  What a dear steward she has been for us.   We would return to our spot in the lobby at 1pm after the hospital delivery.

Off we went at 10am to the hospital to bring joy, healing and smiles with 45 fresh, crisp arrangements.  The VIP staff met us at the front and we filled two carts with beautiful bouquets.  You couldn’t tell that the hospital will be moving its residents in one month’s time.  Busy and clamoring with noise everywhere.  We left our hearts at every nurse’s station, the Family Assistance Center, Red Cross Office, and the Chapel.  We handed out flowers in the elevators, the halls and gave them to veteran patients leaving to go home.   Our last stop was the wonderful executive staff that has guided our ministry through the halls and wards.  It was a very tearful goodbye, but also comforting in knowing that they will hopefully take us with them when they move to Fort Belvoir and Bethesda Military Hospitals.  Once all the processes are in place for visitors, we look forward with a renewed spirit to start our new adventure once again.

At Mologne House we ate lunch in the cafeteria, why didn’t we do that before is beyond me.  It was yummy.  When we arrived, two very large buses dropped off lots of young people from Oklahoma City to bring a choral concert for the recuperating service members and their families at Mologne House.  We were so excited to be part of another wonderful gift of music.  At 1pm we set up in the lobby and handed out our bouquets just like every other month.  But the spirit in the house was filled with joy and I think acceptance had set in of the impending closure of Walter Reed.  The members were moving to the new hospitals and some were looking forward to finally going home.   

I want to thank all the volunteers for giving of your precious time to support Freedom Petals every month for the last 19 months.  Freedom Petals wouldn’t exist without the commitment you have made to this giving cause.

God Bless You Always,  Michele

Barbara K. "Freedom Petals Treasurer and Hero"                                    
This is her in front of a painting of Walter Reed delivering at Mologne House.                    
My mom Colette, she made 90 silk flower pens for the nurses.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

May * June 2011 Events

May was a beautiful flower month in caparison to June, the poopy flower month.  In May for Mother's Day the Freedom Petals volunteers created colorful tea pot arrangements.  In June we threw away so many flowers that were donated, it was so hot, there were no flower holidays, so a request for flowers went out to our volunteers and when you ask He does giveth.  May had 20 volunteers working in the garage creating flower bouquets and they made 60 beautiful corsages for mothers day as well.  June had 12 very aggressive volunteers (cutting into graduation and vacations now) they brought 2 or 3 bouquets and flowers from their gardens for our event.  Thank you!   Thank you!   Because of the heat we worked in the very cool basement.  In May we had a surprise visit from Kris S. from South Carolina and in June we had a surprise visit from Lori from Illinois (she is a florist and made our reception desk baskets).  Our deliveries for both months were a huge success.  Everyone loves our flowers and they bring such healing and joy to our wounded warriors and their families.  In May the tea pots adorned the Nurses stations and the visiting children enjoyed the corsages.  In June we made 24 bud vases that brought color to the Mologne House cafeteria.  Every table received an arrangement for someone to take home.

Thank you to all who brought your talents and help with the May and June events.  Thanks for all the vases that continue to show up and also the vases from the Fort Myers Thrift Store.  Thanks to the Lions Clubs, Women's Groups and various donations we have received in 2011.  My next goal is to install a utility sink in the basement.  No more trudging up and down the steps with water buckets.
 Tea Pot Arrangements






Thursday, March 31, 2011

MARCH Came Up Roses

The March 2011 event was filled with beautiful donated roses.  Mostly left over from Valentines Day.  Lots and lots of talented volunteers made beautiful bouquets for our March event.  Mologne House was quiet this time, we saw many familiar faces and lots of patients were there to share their stories with us.  We gave out 80 arrangements and placed milk glass, white rose, filled bud vases on every table in the cafeteria.  It really brightened up their lunch hour.   Susan and Donna accompanied me to Mologne House and the flowers brought lots of joy to the service members and their families.

Tuesday's Hospital delivery was so exciting.  Lots of buzz going on!   Because of our Florist Cooler the arrangements were never so fresh and brightly colored.  Hillary and I brought 25 arrangements....the Nurses were so thrilled with the silk flower pens that Rachel made with her two birthday friends.  We took 45 pens and handed out all of them.  The 4 Chapel arrangements were so beautiful that the Chapel office called me a week later to let us know how much they appreciate our flowers every month.  I truly believe that the spirit of healing is so strong in flowers....... we saw an imediate affect on everyone we gave them to.   The flowers vasese elicite joy, smiles and a sense of feeling better...they are just what the doctor ordered.

Thanks again to all the Freedom Petals family volunteers who commit their time to create beautiful flowers, support this program in so many ways and to all who bring vases to my stoop every week.  

Monday, February 28, 2011

February 2011 Event A Huge Success



Mologne House on Monday February 14th was so welcoming and everyone told us how they missed Freedom Petals coming with our beautiful bouquets in December.  Many members had gone home for the holidays so we had only shared the flowers with the hospital in December.  Many family members told us how the flowers lasted so long.....I held my breath and couldn't believe that our donated gently used flowers were giving out so much love.  They loved the Valentines delivery (75) arrangements and were excited about our corsages (30).

Great news there were few wounded warriors at Walter Reed Hospital on Tuesday, 15 February.  We handed out many arrangements to the wonderful staffs supporting our recuperating service members in the physical therapy, post- traumatic stress disorder, the Chapel, family assistant center and  executive staffs.  It was so rewarding and we were the beneficiary of many smiles. Thanks to all the Freedom Petals volunteers (23) who helped in this months success.



Saturday, February 12, 2011

12 February Saturday Flower Event - Lincoln's Birthday

The florist cooler earns its weight in gold!
Twenty volunteers made over 100 arrangements on Friday and Saturday.


 Hard working volunteers: Hilary and Angie.

Mom and Daughter Flower Time
Tiffany and Maribel

And yes there are even classes, "How Tos of Making Corsages".
The volunteers in two days made 60 corsages.

 Cara and my blog queen Casey.
Kathleen and Joanne
Rosie

The Basement Team

Barb and Dede engulfed in flowers and vases.

11 February - Friday Flower Event

The Friday Volunteer Team breaking down 20 bags of bouquets.  
Teena, Kathleen, Rosie and Joanne


Valentine corsages for the Troops and their families.



Jerri's beautiful bouquets..

Flower Fridge Delivered!


The flower fridge is here.


Thanks to everyone who helped with the delivery and installation of the fridge!  Ray, Keith, Granpa Robert Bevington and Mike

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

2011 FLOWER EVENTS


2011 CALENDAR OF FLOWER EVENTS

WRAMC DELIVERIES
Mologne House

Monday, February 14th 10am. (Valentine Flowers Red Roses/Corsages)
Monday, March 14th 10am (Easter colors)
Monday, May 2rd 10am (Mothers Day Flower Corsages)
Monday, June 13th 10am (Flag Day - Red, White, Blue)
Monday, July 11th 10am (Independence Day Colors) Sadly our last delivery to Walter Reed.

Walter Reed Army Hospital
Tuesday, February 15th 10am. (Valentine Flowers Red Roses)
Tuesday, March 15th 10am (Easter colors)
Tuesday, May 3rd 10am (Mothers Day Flower Corsages)
Tuesday, June 14th 10am (Flag Day - Red, White, Blue)
Tuesday, July 12th 10am (Independence Day Colors) Sadly our last delivery to Walter Reed.


Sunday, January 2, 2011

Christmas Fundraiser


Latest successful surprise fundraiser forFreedom Petals. Cara and Casey raised $162 for the purchase of a Florist Frig. Wow! Thanks for this blessed event.