Local Flower Shop News
Slaughterhouse Workers Can Now Get Free Job Training to Become Florists - VegNews
Wednesday, March 31, 2021People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), sent a letter to Kim Cordova, president of labor union United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7, urging her to encourage workers to become florists in light of the ongoing pandemic and offering for PETA to pay for the necessary job training to make the transition. “Working on the kill floor is a dangerous, dirty, dead-end job,” Newkirk said. “PETA is happy to help budding flower arrangers flee the meat industry for the sake of animals and their own mental health.” Last week, a number of meat companies closed slaughterhouses as an increasing number of workers became infected with COVID-19—a disease thought to have originated from a wet animal market, not dissimilar from a slaughterhouse, in Wuhan, China late last year. Smithfield shuttered its Sioux Falls, SD pig slaughterhouse after 230 workers tested positive, Cargill closed its meat-packaging plant near Hazleton, PA, after reporting 130 positive cases, and JBS temporarily shut down its beef slaughterhouse in Souderton, PA after 17 workers tested positive.Love the plant-based lifestyle as much as we do?Get the BEST vegan recipes, travel, celebrity interviews, product picks, and so much more inside every issue of VegNews Magazine. Find out why VegNews is the world’s #1 plant-based magazine by subscribing today!Subscribe... https://vegnews.com/2020/4/slaughterhouse-workers-can-now-get-free-job-training-to-become-florists
Valley Florist in E. Templeton receives $10K in startup money - Worcester Business Journal
Wednesday, March 31, 2021Valley Florist and Greenhouse in East Templeton has received a $10,000 small business loan from the North Central Massachusetts Development Corp., the Fitchburg organization announced Friday.Brendan Loughman, owner of the company, received the loan, with funds earmarked for startup costs and inventory.Loughman has an advanced certification in floral design, as well as years of experience as a floral designer, according to a NCMDC press release. NCMDC, the economic development arm of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce, is a microloan lender which can provide loans to small businesses up to $150,000.Loughman was referred to NCMDC by the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center at Clark University in Worcester. https://www.wbjournal.com/article/valley-florist-in-e-templeton-receives-10k-in-startup-money
After the shooting, a boy gave flowers to workers at King Soopers stores near the attack - The Washington Post
Wednesday, March 31, 2021He purchased dozens of carnations in a variety of bright colors and paid for them with money he earned from dog-walking. When JJ told the florist his plan to give a flower to every store employee, she offered him a generous discount.That’s when he turned to his mother and excitedly said, “kindness is spreading!” Witmer recalled.They did several laps around the supermarket and handed out one flower to every employee. With each flower, JJ shared an earnest message.“We just wanted to let you know you’re appreciated. Thank you for being here today. It must be hard,” he said to each employee.“At first, I was a little bit timid because I wasn’t sure how they would react,” JJ said.But then he saw that employees instantly responded with overwhelming gratitude.“They were really thankful. Lots of them were crying and giving me first bumps and air hugs,” JJ said. “It made me feel so good. I was filled with joy and happiness.”While chatting with the store employees, “they said they were kind of scared to go do their job,” JJ added. “I think we made the right decision because it made a lot of people feel good.”Although Witmer followed closely behind her son, “I just stood in the background and let him do his thing,” she said. “This was his idea, and I was just there to support him.”After about 45 minutes in the store, they moved on to another King Soopers location in Reunion, a community in Commerce City, which is where the Witmer family usually gets their groceries.“We know most of the employees there,” JJ said.He purchased three dozen red roses that the store’s florist also offered at a heavily discounted price. Again, he circled the supermarket, handing out flowers to every employee in sight.“He even waited for a staff meeting to end so he wouldn’t miss anybody,” Witmer said.Marsha Esparza-Barnabe, 58, who works in the pharmacy at the Commerce City King Soopers, was surprised when JJ approached her with a rose.The atmosphere in the store was “very somber,” she said. “Everybody was talking about [the shooting], and it was just very sad. It could have been our store.”Then JJ appeared, rose in hand.The small gesture of kindness was so overwhelming, Esparza-Barnabe said, that “I actually turned and walked to the back and cried.”Not far away, in the baking aisle of the supermarket, Zerelda Todd — a King Soopers employee of 46 years — was on her knees, stocking the shelves with tubes of frosting.“All of a sudden, I heard this quiet voice go ‘Ma’am,' ” Todd, 64, said. ... https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2021/03/25/king-soopers-shooting-flowers-colorado/
Florists keep busy during pandemic | News, Sports, Jobs - Minot Daily News
Wednesday, March 31, 2021Chrest said.Chrest said although the position can be demanding, one of her most meaningful goals as a florist is to make each customer smile.“It’s a lot of hard work, especially during those extremely long days; But the results achieved at the end of the day are advantageous,” she said.The same went for Niki Nygaard of Flower Central in Minot as her business has been busy during the pandemic since people are steadily sending flowers and plants to their loved ones. “During the week of Mother’s Day, I stood on my feet for over 80 hours designing flowers,” said Nygaard. “Being a florist is fun as it keeps you busy, but it’s very demanding as the holidays are crazy.”When operating during non-holidays, Flower Central regularly staffs nine employees. During holidays Nygaard said she fluctuates due to high demand. To meet the needs of the customers, she employs 16 workers to have more hands available for deliveries and curbside assistance. For example, in the week of Mother’s Day, she had six vans running concurrently each day to help deliver to customers.Following strict guidelines during the pandemic, Flower Center has limited the shop to two to three customers inside at a time. Upon arrival, if customers decline curbside assistance, they are offered rubber gloves or hand sanitizer before entering the shop.“We have to change how we do things now and then,” said Nygaard. “Like when we hand out deliveries, we call ahead to have the customers meet us at the door. We set down the order on their doorstep, so there’s no hand-to-hand contact.”Flower Centrals’ hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m to 5 p.m.Flower Central, Peony Petals Floral & Gifts and Perfect Petals are gearing up for Memorial Day and the festivities of graduations. Each shop is up and running and ready to deliver special requests for the desired families. Jill Schramm/MDNThrivent Action Team volunteer Abby Haff carries a load of items from a motel room Saturday during cleanup of the grounds and buildings at 1901 S. Broadway, the site of the future Broadway Circle project. Submitted PhotoA B-52 bomber from Minot Air Force Base will fly over medical facilities in Bismarck, Fargo, Grand Forks and Minot today for an Air Force Salute to essential workers. Photo by Airman 1st Class Jesse Jenny. Submitted photoIn preparation for Memorial Day next Monday, a Wall of Honor display was erected at the bell tower this past weekend in Rosehill Memorial Park that lists more than 400 names of those who have participated in the annual Wreaths Across America since 2014. A statue of a soldier kneeling by a cross is shown in front of the wall. dt class="gallery-icon lan... https://www.minotdailynews.com/life/business/2020/05/florists-keep-busy-during-pandemic/
Rebel Girl Floral Arranges 'Flowers for the Wild at Heart' | Lake Minnetonka - Lake Minnetonka Magazine
Wednesday, March 31, 2021Floral Sothea Keller, rebels against the ordinary. Vowing to never make the same arrangement twice, orders are custom made and created to give each flower a purpose. Sothea views herself as a garden florist, arranging “flowers for the wild at heart” and emphasizes the importance of creating a unique display while encapsulating the personality of each client.Rebel Girl FloralHer husband and business partner, James Keller, shares her approach. “I just want people to enjoy flowers and to experiment with just not having something typical,” he says. “I want them to be wowed.” The couple’s exposure to the floral industry does not fall short. James’ mother and sister are professional florists, and Sothea has been in the business for almost 15 years. Working alongside her in-laws helped her learn the ropes. Primarily focusing her work on wedding arrangements, Sothea eventually began to branch out to other events and custom work. Recognizing that the wedding industry is filled with florists, Sothea took another route—one that celebrates other important moments in life. After she, unfortunately, attended several funerals, she noticed that a majority of the arrangements fell flat. Seeing the same stark variation of flowers, shapes and colors, Sothea knew that there was a void that needed to be filled in the i... https://lakeminnetonkamag.com/rebel-girl-floral-arranges-flowers-wild-heart
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