Delaware Valley Floral Group and Lynx-Global provided the basic logistics support for Ramiro and the Flowers for Kids organization to present roses as a gift to visitors at the Arlington National Cemetery (ANC) on Memorial Day 2011. Ramiro and his volunteers made memories more beautiful with flowers by providing more than 10,000 stems and several hundred bouquets on Memorial Day to visitors of the cemetery. Ramiro said presenting flowers to family members visiting their loved one’s grave’s was the most emotional program he’s participated in during his 22 years in the flower industry. The ANC administration was delighted, and conveyed some comments from visitor’s that were sent into their web site from this year’s event:
Michel Meredith Thanks to all who shared and placed the roses throughout Section 60. It was especially nice to see all graves with beautiful roses on them.
Kathleen OBrien This was so thoughtful – one for the grave and one for the memory. Thank you.
Michel Meredith Thanks to all who shared and placed the roses throughout Section 60. It was especially nice to see all graves with beautiful roses on them.
Anita Bemis-Dougherty Thank you so much!!! That was so wonderful to have a remembrance!
Sherri O’Boyle We will be interring our father this Friday at Arlington. I hope the beautiful roses and American flags at each gravesite will still be there.
Maggie Schoonmaker that is just beautiful
Drusilla Stinson Thank you for leaving the rose on Toby’s stone for me, thank you for the photo. I am very touched
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You can see additional comments and photos by clicking here.
For 2012 DVFG will co-sponsor this special event with the Flowers for Kids organization. DVFG‘s Kevin Clifford and Ramiro Peñaherrera have now partnered and recently met with the administration of ANC working to organize the 2012 Memorial Day Rose give away. The goal is to expand the event with more than 35,000 roses being donated by the 68 sponsoring farms of Flowers for Kids and distributing them from several key locations on the grounds of Arlington to the visiting family and friends honoring America’s fallen heroes.
Kevin said, “DVFG often supports various good causes, however this one is special and we are privileged to participate in honoring the people and families that have given the ultimate sacrifice for our country. Flowers are a form of emotional expressions and the classic silent expression of a single stem placed on a headstone is perfect.”
DVFG, along with its partners at Lynx-Global and Centurion Air Cargo, will be donating all of the logistics to move the fresh cuts and supplies needed to Arlington, Va. Flower Transfer Logistics (FTL) will set up a location at Arlington with cold storage and distribute the roses to various key locations throughout the grounds. FTL’s production division will be processing the roses and manufacturing bouquets; which will be donated to the Gold Star Mothers on the day of the event. More than 100 volunteers will participate. In addition to the Flowers for Kids staff, DVFG plans to send at least 30 staff members, and the Fairfax County Virginia Fire Department has committed to 40 firemen, many of them first responders to the Pentagon on 9-11. The Volunteers will distribute two stems of roses to each visitor, one to place on a head stone and one to take home in remembrance of their friend or relative. A service for families that are unable to visit will also be provided for those who contact the cemetery. A digital picture of the rose lying on the headstone will be taken and sent to the loved one via a method of their choice. The final component will be to provide red, white and blue bouquets to the mothers that have lost a son or daughter in the line of duty.
In 2012 ANC expects more than 100,000 visitors on Memorial Day. If you would like to volunteer, or would like to help sponsor the event, please contact Kevin or Ramiro.
Ramiro and Kevin wish to expand to five other actively visited National Cemeteries in the Northeast in 2012. More details will be released in the near future. If you would like to present roses at a National Cemetery near you (and this is a great opportunity to make your presence known in your community), contact Kevin, Ramiro or your DVFG representative.
Kevin Clifford
kclifford@dvfloralgroup.com
856.468.7000 ext1342
Ramiro Peñaherrera
robin@flowersforkids.org
202.386.6169
