MARMORA — The Flower Company, a florist in the Marmora section of Upper Township, is set to host the 4th annual Petal It Forward event to help spread joy around the region.
The event is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 14 at 48 Tuckahoe Road.
“We will give away two bouquets to locals, one to keep and one to share with a friend, family member, colleague or even a stranger. We hope to continue to spread joy and help promote the positive power of flowers to those in the community,” manager Caroline Kopczenski said.
Petal It Forward is a random-act-of-kindness initiative started in 2015 by the Society of American Florists (SAF). According to the SAF, “80 percent of people reported receiving flowers makes them happy, and 88 percent said giving flowers makes them happy. Flowers have an immediate impact on happiness, reducing stress and anxiety.”
“People don’t always realize that receiving and to give flowers brings so much happiness. It really does create a lot of serotonin,” Kopczenski said. This year, the Flower Co. is joining dozens of floral industry businesses in all 50 states by painting the town with more than 1,000 flowers and inviting the community to help spread the love.
Kopczenski said the shop has “some amazing local flower farms” — Mazzeo Meadows and Sprout and Thicket Flower Farm — that “will be bringing us local goodies that they have grown right here in South Jersey.”
“It really touches a lot of community members,” Kopczenski said, noting the shop also is holding a food drive the same day “as another way to help out the community since it’s so popular.”
“It’s really lovely for us to be able to give back so much,” she said.
– By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff
