NORTH TONAWANDA, N.Y. — A Western New York woman who started delivering flowers to widows and widowers on Valentine's Day this year to brighten their day wants to be able to deliver flowers to even more people next year.
So, she's doing a fundraiser right now. We caught up with her on Thursday to find out more.
"You don't really see any programs or projects being done for someone who has suffered a loss like that, and I thought this was a great opportunity to actually maybe help people during times like this, and Valentine's Day is a day that people usually look to their partner," said Catherine Szabad, founder of Hearts in Bloom Buffalo.
Through Hearts in Bloom Buffalo, Szabad delivered flowers and gift bags to 41 people this year. They were widows and widowers who otherwise might not be recognized on Valentine's Day.
"And we actually had to turn off the submission process because of the outpour of people wanting to submit names," Szabad said.
Szabad also had a restricted delivery area close to her Niagara County home so she could manage the deliveries with her volunteers.
"It's a very rewarding experience, and honestly it just makes you want to do more for them, and I'm like, I wish I had more flowers to give out, and that's why I hope next year we are able to do that," Szabad said.
So to keep with the flower theme, she's selling mums right now as a fundraiser to be able to do more flowers and gifts next year. Szabad says she will also need more volunteers to get the flowers ready and do deliveries because she plans to expand her delivery area.
Her goal is to deliver flowers and gifts to more than 100 people in 2025.
"We're doing something for someone that, one, isn't expecting it. And two, it's because they suffered a loss that they were forced to accept and how many years, or how many months, they've been alone that someone in their life wants them to feel special, and I think that's what was happening, that people were basically feeling the same way that they also wanted to be a part of that," Szabad said.
And if this isn't your thing, Szabad encourages you to volunteer somewhere because she says you'll definitely get something out of it.
"It really is affecting people that you are taking the time to do something randomly for someone that you don't know. It's such a great feeling, and I think that the people that did help me, I'm hoping that they walked away with that and that they'll also tell other people because maybe that's what we need to do more of is just do something random. And I also want to encourage people to volunteer for whatever they want to, or whatever they're interested in, because that's also very rewarding, and maybe we just need to do more of that," Szabad said.
"I say, go for it. Even if you just give an hour or two of your time, or make that donation, because it really does help."