VIBRANT VOLUNTEERS
What a great group of volunteers today, braving the Seattle-like weather to brighten the day with flowers for over 60 patients and staff at Care Partners Rehab Hospital. It’s a simple generosity of spirit that was there cutting and arranging flowers into what turned out to be very colorful bouquets. Tall and short alike (the vases, not the volunteers). See more.
There was quite a lot of concentration going on, as you can see on the faces of Bonnie (top left), Shanna (top right) and Clare (on the left). But there was always enough time for the surprise and delight that yellow roses can provide, as seen with the expression on Laura’s face.
And just look at the fabulous final result: a huge cart full of gorgeous flowers. Everyone who walked by as we were handing out flowers commented on how beautiful they were. And that’s all it took for them to receive their own arrangement…..
HANDS ON ASHEVILLE
Hands on Asheville provided us with 4 wonderful volunteers today. In the photo on the left is Bonnie, Shanna, Laura and Clare, the Project Manager. Hands on Asheville is a non-profit organization that organizes volunteers for businesses like Second Bloom. It was totally great for me to simply arrive and have volunteers magically appear!
We stayed dry on the patio as we worked away at making over 60 small arrangements for all the patients and many of the staff at Care Partners Rehab Hospital. The front desk received a vase with a huge yellow orchid in it - quite stunning. Check it out.
We received flowers from The Fresh Market as well as from The Bloom Room. The Bloom Room had 5 events going on this weekend, so we got some beautiful flowers. I was concerned we might not have enough, so I cut some gorgeous mountain laurel from my yard. Put together they created an amazingly colorful effect. And we had more than enough. (It wasn’t until much later in the day that I realized the reason I thought we might not have enough flowers is because I’d left a huge buckets full of bright purple delphiniums, parrot tulips, orchids and greens at home…..oops.)
WEDDING FLOWERS FOR LIBERTY OAKS
Beautiful wedding flowers from The Crest Center, prepared by Janet at the Enchanted Forest, came to Second Bloom and immediately went over the the ladies at Liberty Oaks. They filled their cups with sunflowers, hydrangeas and azaleas.
This week everyone was present: Nancy, Delois, Peggy, Brenda, Myrtle and Carolyn Jane. They all loved the flowers and were thrilled that it was from a wedding. Always great to pass on flowers as beautiful and fresh as these were.
A TEAM OF VOLUNTEERS
See what Second Bloom was up to early Mother’s Day morning. With a team of volunteers we brought wedding flowers from Morganton all the way back to 6 different facilities here in Black Mountain and Asheville.
At the front of the Flower Exchange Train we had Maggie, Pat and Jackie. We collected the flowers from a stormy wedding on Saturday night and heard tales of hail, wind and wild rain - quite an energetic start to a marriage!
We loaded the flowers into the truck and the van and headed out, going in a few different directions. On to another stage of our Flower Exchange Train. I met up with Leslie, featured here with her dog Happy - or is it her happy dog? And also with Clare, whose picture I forgot to take 
today but fortunately have another so you can see her smiling face. They each carried off flowers to a facility and I took the remaining off to a third place.
All the flowers were distributed by early afternoon, in time for many Mother’s Day celebrations!
WEDDING FLOWERS SPREAD JOY
The flowers from a beautiful wedding in Morganton on Saturday night became the joy and afternoon pleasure of over 500 residents at 6 different facilities in Asheville and Black Mountain. With plenty of help the work went quickly. We knew it had been a bit wet because the ground was quite soft…..then we heard 
tales of wild weather….rain, hail and lots of wind. But today was sunny and warm. We loaded up a van and the back of the truck, inside and out, and headed off for a bit of shade to take a short break.
Then it was up the mountain with the truck going one direction, the van another and by early afternoon everyone had their flowers. One of the facilities called me later to say h
ow much they all appreciated them, but it was especially sweet for 3 residents that had just returned from the hospital. And then of course with it being Mother’s Day, everyone was especially happy.
Flowers went to Mountain Ridge Wellness Center, Golden Living Center, The McCune Center, The Swannanoa Christian Ministry, Courtyard Rehabilitation and Nursing Center and Deerfield. Over 500 residents were touched by the flowers this one bride donated to Second Bloom - quite remarkable!
JUST BEFORE IT RAINED
Courtyard had tables outisde in yes, their courtyard. There was more construction going on in the activity room so this seemed like a good option. We watched the sky darken and then brighten 
as the rain held off until the afternoon. With buckets of beautiful flowers from The Fresh Market, the cart got quickly filled up with arrangements for all the rooms.
Second Bloom’s been coming to Courtyard since last October, beginning during our wedding season. We used to work with just Nanette and Vernelle and sometimes we overwhelmed all of us with the quantity of flowers. But the color and variety were always spectacular! Now Nanette and Vernelle are among about 8-10 residents that help out on a regular basis. It’s been a great transformation over the months. Kim, the activity director, pictured on the right, know just who might want to join in.
LOOK AT THE LAURELS NOW!
Last month we handed over flowers to Jesica, the Activity Director at the Laurels, to run the program with 
her own crew. The level of participation soared. The dining room was full of residents who made both small and large arrangements. The flowers, from The Fresh Market, delighted everyone.
So now Second Bloom delivers flowers twice a month to the Laurels, they have it on their calendar to look forward to and participation is great! They know who wants to and needs to come out of their room to work with the flowers. And they know who would benefit on that particular day by having flowers delivered to their room. It’s a great change.
WAITING PATIENTLY FOR SECOND BLOOM
Second Bloom has been making weekly visits to Liberty Oaks. Loaded down with a couple of buckets from The Fresh Market, I arrive with only a few minutes notice. But every time I do, the lovely ladies are sitting around the table waiting for me. They cheer when I open the door and we begin righ
t there and then.
They can each put a dozen roses into their containers, along with other things I have. They all love the pink and red roses, so I try to make sure I’ve got some of those for everyone. Last time I dropped off some great photos for everyone to have and I’ve noticed that they’re now hanging up in their dining area. It has been great getting to know these women and those that care for them. On the left is a photo of Janet with Carolyn Jane, Jean and Delois.
CAMERA READY
I came to Shadybrook a few weeks ago with a bulletin board full of photos and copies for everyone to have. It was great fun and everyone crowded around to get a look. Then, those that hadn’t been included in the photos, made sure they got in on the second round.
I try to come to Shadybrook in the afternoons or on the weekends so that I can get more residents to help me. Sarah, Betty and Violet provide the most consistent help, but Susan will often join in as well. I’m still waiting on the men to help out, but right now they just bring in the return cups and collect a new arrangement for themselves. Maybe next month.
BLT GALS ARE GOOD AT MANIFESTING FLOWERS
It was a great day at Deerfield as I drove up with a truckload of flowers from the Biltmore Estate. They saw me round the corner and they all began to cheer. And who wouldn’t….they were ready to have an afternoon of working with some beautiful flowers. They make arrangements for all the tables in their dining room. And if they see someone who should have some flowers, they don’t hesitate to pass them along. Last time I was there, Loretta passed some along to a volunteer at Meals on Wheels so they could give them out to everyone they were bringing lunch to.
LAST MINUTE WEDDING
It wasn’t a last minute wedding for the bride and groom, but it was a last minute wedding pick up of flowers for Second Bloom. A call this morning from the mother of the bride and Second Bloom’s Flower Exchange Train rolled out of the station. I pulled up to Homewood to find 4 buckets of gorgeous flowers and several other stunning arrangements as well. Check out the photos.
I drove straightaway to The McCune Center and they got to have their first flowers from a wedding! Many oohs and aahs as they came into the room and set to work. I don’t even know how many arrangements we made. We just kept going until we ran out of flowers. It was good to be with all the folks at McCune. I’ve mostly been dropping flowers off and they’ve been doing the flowers on their own. But today I had the time to stick around and I was happy to be there with all of them again. And yes, they really can put a lot of flowers in those cups. And no, the upper left photo is not one of their creations…….
GOLDEN LIVING CENTER
Golden Living Center on Beaverdam Road in north Asheville was the first facility that called us, asking about flowers. Tamara, not in the photo, had heard of Second Bloom and wanted to know how she might get flowers for their residents and patients. Her timing was impeccable because I was looking for a couple of places where I could bring flowers. So here’s a photo from my first trip there with two buckets of flowers from The Fresh Market. Michelle is on the left and Elaine is on the right. I called later in the day to see how everything went and they told me that one of the patients with alzheimers, who doesn’t like to do much of anything, was thrilled with the flowers and making arrangements as we were speaking.
MOUNTAIN RIDGE WELLNESS CENTER
One of my volunteers told me about Mountain Ridge Wellness Center, thought it might be a good place for flowers. I called last Friday afternoon when I had a lot of flowers from The Biltmore House and The Fresh Market as well. They were thrilled! I may have overwhelmed them…..they happily took 5 buckets of gorgeous flowers! I’ll be interested to hear how it all went.
The photo is of Mike, Brenda and Sue. Sue is the Activity Director that Mike works with and Brenda is the Administrator. They are the only 5 Star Skilled Nursing Facility in the area.