In a world where a simple gesture can hold immense power, a few members of our team decided to take this opportunity to put a smile on strangers’ faces. Five members of WestCMR chose to spend one of their two VTO (Volunteer Time Off) days at Random Acts of Flowers in Dunedin, Florida on August 9, 2023. This full day event not only put a smile on their faces, but left them feeling powerful. The act of volunteering gives us a sense of purpose that is unmeasurable.
Random Acts of Flowers helps support the emotional health and well-being of individuals that are in healthcare facilities, such as long term care and hospitals. Every Tuesday and Thursday, they deliver the floral arrangements to random strangers to surprise them and brighten their day. They use Mondays and Wednesdays to prepare the flowers and vases, which are recycled and donated by generous individuals.
While the purpose of VTO days is to give back, this one in particular did more than that. Team member Kimberleigh Bickford calls the day life changing and states, “What melted my heart was the pictures on the walls of the smiles and joy of the recipients that receive the flowers. A lot of these individuals have either no family close or no one that comes to see them. They are seeing the same four walls day in and day out…their lives just seem so mundane BUT when someone walks in with a bouquet of flowers, their whole perception of life in that moment changes!”
Another team member, Cathy McKeever, says, “It’s emotional to think about how many people are completely alone in this crazy world. Getting a surprise flower arrangement not only makes these people smile, but it truly lets them know how cared for they are. It is a beautiful thing that Random Acts of Flowers and the community care about people they have never met, especially in this day and age.”
All together, the WestCMR volunteers cleaned over 170 vases and arranged the flowers for their delivery. WestCMR volunteer Lindsey Knotts says “There were so many sweet ladies there that are truly making an impact on the community and it was so rewarding getting a glimpse of that!”
Our team members look forward to returning to Random Acts of Flowers on a future VTO day! Learn more about Random Acts of Flowers here.
