Supporting the efforts of the Memorial Day Flowers Foundation (MDFF) and WF&FSA (the Wholesale Florist & Floral Supplier Association), Kennicott Brothers Company, Vans Floral and Nordlie Inc., connected their retail customers with thousands of complimentary roses on Memorial Day. The flowers were handed-out to consumers in memoriam of our nation’s fallen soldiers, and to honor the memories of those who have served.
Joining many other floral wholesalers nationwide in the effort, Kennicott Brothers, Vans and Nordlie invited nearly 70 of their florist-customers to honor our nation’s soldiers through flowers. “Last year’s MDFF promotional materials were so well-received by our customers, we were able to almost double the number of participants this year,” said Joe Barnes (Manager of New Business Development for Kennicott). “Whether it’s in-person at their local Memorial Day parade, at the cemetery gates, or in-store,” Barnes continued, “our florists are honored to help ensure the loved ones of those who have given their lives defending our freedom receive a rose on Monday.”
Kennicott companies and their many generous grower-partners committed to donating approximately 17,000 roses to support Memorial Day Flowers this year. The exercise was part of their larger, ongoing “Make A Difference” campaign, through which Kennicott strives to improve the communities in which they do business.
The foundation itself, with help from their network of importers (Miami), growers (Columbia, Ecuador & California), and volunteers, placed 120,000 roses on the headstones at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. The group also expanded this year’s effort to include the Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis.
Visit the Memorial Day Flowers Foundation at www.memorialdayflowers.org.
Learn more about Kennicott Brothers Companies at www.kennicott.com.
Participating Kennicott / Vans / Nordlie Customers (partial list):
Millers Flowers (Racine, WI)
Gillespie Florist (Indianapolis, IN)
Adrienes Flowers and Gifts (Noblesville, IN)
Baesler’s Market (Terra Haute, IN)
Banner Flower House (Kokomo, IN)
Cedar Lake Florist & Gifts (Cedar Lake, IN)
Heaven & Earth Florist (South Bend, IN)
East Main Gardens Florist (Niles, MI)
The Flower Cart (Niles, MI)
Tara Florist (St. Joseph, MI)
Flowers By Anna (Buchanan, MI)
Ionia Floral (Ionia, MI)
Greenville Floral (Greenville, MI)
Taylor’s Florist & Gifts (Paw Paw, MI)
Blumz by JRDesigns (Ferndale & Detroit, MI)
Mary’s Bouquet & Gifts (Flint, MI)
Country Lane Flowers & Gifts (Howell, MI)
Floradora’s Flowers (Flint, MI)
Rust To Roses (Holly, MI)
Vogt’s Flowers, Inc. (Flint, MI)
Bentley Florist & Gifts (Burton, MI)
Silk’s Flower Shop (St Clair, MI)
Norton’s Flowers and Gifts (Ypsilanti & Ann Arbor, MI)
Dynamic Flowers (Royal Oak, MI)
Camille’s Floral Shop (Bristol, IN)
J. Panozzo and Sons (Kankakee, IL)
Saunoris Bros. (Frankfort, IL)
Blossom Boys (Chicago, IL)
The Petal Shoppe, Inc. (Joliet, IL)
Mai’s Flowers & Gifts (Chicago, IL)
Bunches, a flower shop (Chicago, IL)
City Scents Floral & Home (Chicago, IL)
Daffodils (Chicago, IL)
Berwyn’s Violet Flower Shop (Berwyn, IL)
Martha’s Flower Shop (Bushnell, FL)
Bloomtastic Florist (Columbus, OH)
Joanie’s Floral Designs (Covington, OH)
Genell’s Flowers (Piqua, OH)
Schneider’s Florist (Springfield, OH)
Carousel Floral (Rochester, MN)
Forest Lake Floral (Forest Lake MN)
Flowerama (Blaine MN)
Soderberg’s Floral (Minneapolis, MN)
Participating Growers/Farms (partial list):
Unique Collection, Ecuaplanet (Volcano, Highland, Blooming Acres), Natural Flowers
Continental Farms, Rio Roses/Equiflor, Farm Direct Farms, Multiflora, Fresca Farms,
Native Blooms, Rosaprima, Choice Farms, Benchmark Growers/ The Queens Flowers
Source: Kennicott Brothers Company