Next week, more than 40,000 people will receive a surprise flower arrangement during Teleflora's 14th annual goodwill initiative, "Make Someone Smile Week." Of them, 132 live in or near Salpula, Okla., where Ronn Doby, of Neal and Jean's Flowers and Gifts, will be delivering assorted green plants in the famous smiley face bowls for the 14th time. We caught up with most tenured smile provider to learn more about his favorite floral holiday of the year.
KH: Who will be receiving the smile arrangements in your community this year?
RD: They're going to people in two nursing homes, plus a few people from my church who are homebound.
KH: Do you visit the same groups every year, or do you change it?
RD: I like to rotate who gets them. We've done Meals on Wheels before, Hospice patients, a children's hospital. Logistics would probably make the children's hospital impossible now. Hospital visits entail a lot of red tape.
KH: Let's talk about logistics. What kind of investment does this take on your part?
RD: It's just the staff's time. I'll probably spend an extra 15 hours next week between designing and delivering them. The nursing homes make delivery very easy. The years that we've done Meals on Wheels have taken longer to reach all the recipients. As far as product, Teleflora provided the mugs and my wholesaler donated the plants.
KH: Why is "Make Someone Smile Week" worth doing year after year?
RD: It does exactly as the name says. I love seeing people who don't normally receive flowers light up when they get their arrangement. In the nursing homes especially, we're reaching out to people who might not have family or at least don't get visitors often. The flowers really brighten their day.
Are you participating in Make Someone Smile week? Email your photos and anecdotes to [email protected]. Put "Make Someone Smile" in the subject line.
KH: Who will be receiving the smile arrangements in your community this year?
RD: They're going to people in two nursing homes, plus a few people from my church who are homebound.
KH: Do you visit the same groups every year, or do you change it?
RD: I like to rotate who gets them. We've done Meals on Wheels before, Hospice patients, a children's hospital. Logistics would probably make the children's hospital impossible now. Hospital visits entail a lot of red tape.
KH: Let's talk about logistics. What kind of investment does this take on your part?
RD: It's just the staff's time. I'll probably spend an extra 15 hours next week between designing and delivering them. The nursing homes make delivery very easy. The years that we've done Meals on Wheels have taken longer to reach all the recipients. As far as product, Teleflora provided the mugs and my wholesaler donated the plants.
KH: Why is "Make Someone Smile Week" worth doing year after year?
RD: It does exactly as the name says. I love seeing people who don't normally receive flowers light up when they get their arrangement. In the nursing homes especially, we're reaching out to people who might not have family or at least don't get visitors often. The flowers really brighten their day.
Are you participating in Make Someone Smile week? Email your photos and anecdotes to [email protected]. Put "Make Someone Smile" in the subject line.
