Foister’s Flowers and Gifts included these cards with each of the bouquets they gave away at a past Petal It Forward event. Photo courtesy of Foister’s Flowers and Gifts.
Sharon Grubbs, owner of Foister’s Flowers and Gifts, and Jack Surface, owner of two Midas auto shops, are both big advocates and supporters of their community in Muncie, Indiana. So, it didn’t surprise anyone that when Grubbs joined the Society of American Florists’ annual Petal It Forward initiative, Surface was eager to participate, too.
Grubbs sells Surface buckets of bouquets at cost, which he then distributes to customers at his auto shops. He’s even taken the idea a step further, handing out flowers at other events throughout the year, such as car shows and food banks.
“It definitely started with Sharon and Petal It Forward, but once Jack got involved, it exploded,” explains Mike Hylton, general manager at Surface’s two Midas locations in Muncie and Anderson, Indiana.
The joint effort captures the heart of the Petal It Forward program, which takes place Oct. 20.
This year already the auto shops have begun gifting carnations and daisies to customers. They are also planning to buy a bulk of Petal It Forward bouquets from Foister’s for this year’s event.
“We’ll buy in bulk and hand them out to customers, people we know who it will brighten their day, just anyone who needs a boost,” Hylton says. “It is something very dear to our hearts to help the community and the less fortunate.”
For Grubbs, nothing compares to the gift of a flower, and Petal It Forward has become one of her favorite days of the year.
Sharon Grubbs, owner of Foister’s Flowers and Gifts, stands among buckets of bouquets for the Society of American Florists’ Petal It Forward event. Photo courtesy of Foister’s Flowers and Gifts.
“If I could, I would just give it all away, every day,” says Grubbs, who has worked in the industry since 1996 and bought the store in 2004. “I think flowers are a little different than any other gift. You see it on their faces when you hand it to them.”
Grubbs plans to reach out to her network of fellow business owners to see who else will buy bouquets at cost and spread flower joy during this year’s event. In past years an elementary school, banks, restaurants, and a mall have shared the flowers.
One year, 500 bouquets were quickly claimed by Ball State University students at a busy intersection, Grubbs says.
Foister’s also turns its parking lot into a distribution line for drivers to pull up and receive two bouquets — one to keep and one to give.
A small flower shop with only four employees, everyone at Foister’s pitches in, and some community members eagerly volunteer to make the most of the day, Grubbs says.
To prepare, Foister’s combines three stems — a carnation, an alstroemeria, and a leather leaf fern — into a sleeve, secured with a rubber band and a Petal It Forward card. Grubbs says she selects those flowers because they are among the least expensive, have multiple blooms per stem and are long-lasting. A card is attached to bouquets with information about Foister’s and the event. It also has a coupon on the back.
With hundreds of stems to bundle it will likely take a full day of preparation, but Grubbs says it’s always worth the effort when the big day arrives.
“I love that day,” she says. “It’s so much fun.”
She urges other florists to get involved, and to tailor the event to their capabilities.
“It does take some work, but I don’t consider it work,” Grubbs says. “I consider it the best day ever.”
Petal It Forward is Oct. 20. SAF encourages participants to register for the event, and utilize SAF’s online Petal It Forward resources.
Sarah Sampson is a contributing writer for the Society of American Florists.
