BUFFALO, N.Y. — Volunteers have been hard at work getting things ready for the annual Hospice and Palliative Care Buffalo Spring Bouquet Sale which begins this week in Western New York.
This is the 36th year for the fundraiser.
On Saturday and Sunday, dozens gathered at a warehouse in Orchard Park where they trimmed, watered, and packaged up thousands of bouquets ahead of delivery on Monday.
In 2021, all of the prep work was done by a small group of staff, but Hospice was able to welcome back volunteers this year as COVID restrictions were lifted. About 400 volunteers will help with packing, deliveries, and sales over the next few days.
"We have about 2,000 buckets, 2,000 boxes that all need to be assembled and put together, and just over 20,000 bouquets that need to be assembled. That's all being done over the course of two days by a small army of volunteers," said Hospice special events manager Emily Carrier.
The annual sale is the largest fundraiser for Hospice and Palliative Care Buffalo when it comes to logistics, awareness, and of course, fundraising.
"All of the money raised, whether you're a presale coordinator or buying from a public site or a florist, all of the money goes to Hospice and Palliative Care Buffalo here in our community. We serve over 1,000 patients a day, whether it's at hospitals, nursing homes, or our campus unit. We're obviously supporting patient care, but we're also supporting the families when they need it most," said Carrier.
Pre-sale coordinators organize internal sales at hundreds of businesses, schools, and organizations across Western New York. If you did not pre-order your bouquet, you can visit one of the 30 participating florists, public sites, and flower trucks to purchase in-person from March 9 thru 12.
You can buy a 10-stem mixed bouquet for $12 or buy a tribute bouquet from one of the 25 participating florists.
"The Spring Bouquet Sale is a Western New York springtime tradition for that reason. We are raising money for Hospice and Palliative Care Buffalo. We're bringing a little brightness to your day, and it's just really cool to see across Western New York next week, there are going to be flowers everywhere," said Carrier.