Floral Industry Businesses Donate $10,000 To American Red Cross Disaster Relief

Berlin, NY – On behalf of his colleagues in the floral industry, Brian E. Suslak, CEO and President of W.J. Cowee, presented the American Red Cross with a donation of more than $10,000 to the Disaster Relief Fund.

A group of 62 wholesalers and 11 manufacturers, importers and growers within the floral industry contributed in the effort to support the thousands of Americans whose lives were ravaged by the devastating tornadoes, floods and other severe weather that ravaged the South and Midwest earlier this year.

“Our industry is built on the belief that it’s important to reach out and connect with others—in both good times and in bad. This was our turn to reach out, and it was an opportunity to lend a helping hand to people who were in dire need,” said Suslak. “I am very proud of my colleagues for stepping up and supporting this important cause. We are also very appreciative of the contribution made by Flowers& magazine to this effort by publishing the names of the contributors in its upcoming September edition of the magazine.”

“We are very grateful for this generous donation and we’ve been impressed by Mr. Suslak’s passion to create and facilitate this fundraising initiative for his company W.J. Cowee and their fellow floral industry colleagues,” said American Red Cross of Northeastern New York Region CEO Gary Striar. “The victims of the spring storms and tornadoes across the U.S. will benefit greatly from this effort.”

ABOUT W.J. COWEE, LLC
W.J. Cowee, LLC is the nation’s leading manufacturer of wooden floral picks, plant stakes and other products for the professional floral industry. Located in Berlin, New York, the manufacturing company has been in continuous operation for more than a century. W.J. Cowee uses North American hardwoods in the manufacture of its products, and has been recognized for its commitment to sustainable forestry, environmental responsibility and community service. The company’s website is located at http://www.wjcowee.com.

ABOUT FLOWERS& MAGAZINE
Flowers& magazine is a monthly magazine of floral design and business, published by Teleflora and made available to florists everywhere, as well as to other members of the floral industry seeking inspiration and current information about flowers and design.

ABOUT THE AMERCAN RED CROSS
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies nearly half of the nation's blood; teaches lifesaving skills; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization – not a government agency – and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit http://www.redcrossneny.org.

Source: W.J. COWEE, LLC