Wednesday, August 8, 2018

August 2018 Event and Freedom Petals News

Hello Freedom Petals family,
๐Ÿ’๐ŸŒธ๐ŸŒผ๐ŸŒท๐ŸŒป๐ŸŒบ๐ŸŒน๐Ÿต

Summer is going buy so fast this year and the rain has been overwhelming.  I have finished my treatments and feeling great once again.   Our plan is to support 3 Aleethia Dinners and then with mixed emotions - close our doors end of October.  Our ten year journey has been so rewarding; providing smiles and healing through flowers to our wounded warriors.   We started at Walter Reed Army, then supporting Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, added Aleethia Foundation Dinners, Fisher Houses and then Boulder Crest Retreat in Bluemont, Va.  We created flowers for warrior weddings, retirements and funerals.  Our venues changed but our mission never faltered from bringing joy to our hero's and dedicated veterans!  Freedom Petals couldn't exist without the creativity and hard work of our partners (Herndon Florist, Trader Joes) and our many volunteers.  Thank you so much for giving us your precious talents and time.
  
Next event is Friday, 24 August!

God Bless,-- 
Michele Bevington


Sunday, May 6, 2018

27 April Flower Event for Aleethia Foundation

The April flower event went off smoothly with my wonderful volunteers picking up the flower donations at Traders and getting them in buckets of water.   Since I am watching my granddaughter this year and cannot pick up the flowers everyday from Traders everyone has stepped up to the plate to make our events happen.
Barbara was the leader and ran the show that Friday 27 April.  We had 13 volunteers creating the most beautiful arrangements and the flowers from Traders were so exquisite.  All the extra flower arrangements went to Fisher House!  Yahoo!

Dear Michele,

Thanks so much for bringing a breath of "Spring" to Aleethia's Friday Night Dinner after such a long Winter.  The floral arrangements that the Freedom Petals volunteer designed were so beautiful and everyone was so excited to take an arrangement back to the hospital/Fisher House.  Besides brightening the room and bringing smiles, I believe in the healing powers that flowers provide....No matter what you are feeling at the time...flowers bring a moment of comfort, uplift one's spirits and so much more.

We greatly appreciate the continuous support of "Freedom Petals" and being part of the Aleethia's family and part of the healing/recovery process of the wounded/injured/ill service members.

Also, thanks to you and Barbara for helping with the birthday cakes and so much more!

Hugs,

Margaret

 

January 2018 Aleethia Dinner


We started back with a very successful January flower event to support the Aleethia Dinner at the Capital Hill Club.


Dear Michele,
Another year begins with a room filled with smiles and flowers for the Aleethia Foundation's "Friday Night Dinner" held on January 19, 2018.  The "Freedom Petals" volunteers provided outstanding floral designs for each table.  An added surprise was the array of potted plants including miniature daffodils, anthurium, clyclamen  and the "money tree" plants that provided such enthusiasm throughout the room as folks selected a plant to take back with them.  Several caregivers volunteered to assist with bringing the extra floral arrangements and plants back to the Walter Reed patients who were unable to attend the dinner and to the Fisher Houses on base where their families are staying during their healing and rehabilitation.   It's no secret that flowers can boost morale, improve moods and bring healing energy.
Thanks so much for "Freedom Petals" continuing their mission to bring smiles and caring to the wounded/injured/ill service members and their families who attend the Aleethia Foundation's Friday Night Dinners.
Hugs and blessings to all! 
Margaret
Aleethia Foundation


Tuesday, January 16, 2018

Another Great Year 2017

As 2017 comes to a close, we reflect on another great year and incredible journey bringing joy to our warrior heroes with flowers.  This
           was only made possible because of you, the Freedom Petals volunteers.
Thank-you, Thank-you, Thank-you for your time, friendship, and creativity. 

The end of 2017 was a  huge success, October was our last flower event.  Happy Halloween flowers were shared at the Aleethia dinner.  Lots of spiders, pumpkins and scarecrows.  November was a very successful speaking engagement at the Annapolis Naval Academy garden club.  Marilyn and I helped the members make special bedside mugs filled with fall flowers for a local veteran home. 

This past fall I began my next chapter in life, watching my new beautiful funny granddaughter, Miss Avery.  She is such a joy.  With that said I will need lots more support from all of you to keep this mission going for another year.

Our next flower event will be Friday, January 19th, creating flower arrangements for an Aleethia Foundation warrior dinner.  I will pick up flowers at Trader Joes Monday morning 15 January and Friday, 19 January.  But I need help picking up the flowers on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (16 through 18 January).  They need to be brought back to my garage, put in buckets and then put in the florist cooler.  I know a few of you know this drill..... as you may have picked them up before.  
 
​Have a blessed holiday and safe travels! ​
God Bless, Michele
--
Michele Bevington๐ŸŽ„๓พ“ฆ