A random act of flowers: Donations bring spring to hospital

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GREENFIELD — The cheerful riot of flower petals spilling out of Cynthia Fincher’s car was only rivaled by the sweet perfume of the arrangements drawing stares from visitors to Hancock Regional Hospital.

Fincher, a volunteer for the Hancock Regional Hospital Guild, brought 40 flower arrangements from Random Acts of Flowers, an Indianapolis organization that collects flowers from florists, grocery stores, events and even funerals and has volunteers re-arrange them into bouquets that are donated to Indianapolis-area hospital patients.

The Greenfield resident had been looking for a way to volunteer for the hospital that was in her “wheelhouse,” she said. When she heard about Random Acts of Flowers, the hospital’s volunteer coordinator Dawn Earlywine thought it fit in with Circle of Kindness, a recent initiative to promote acts of kindness by hospital staff.

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The 40 flower arrangements were wheeled to several different departments, including the Andis Women’s and Children’s Department, an intensive care unit and 3 North, the medical surgery unit. Patients in Reflections, the geriatric psych unit at the hospital, also received flowers.

“It’s a phenomenal organization,” Earlywine said about Random Acts of Flowers, which boasts facilities in Knoxville, Tennessee, Tampa, Florida and Chicago in addition to its Indianapolis location.

The organization recycles 100 percent of the flower arrangements it receives, from the blooms to the wire, foam and vases the flowers are arranged with, according to its website.

“Clippings and other green waste are composted and used by landscapers, gardeners and other partners in the community,” the website states. “Our organization is dedicated to keeping floral materials out of the landfills.”

Random Acts of Flowers didn’t have a volunteer who could deliver flower arrangements to Hancock County, so Fincher volunteered to make the drive and to encourage local florists and grocery stores to donate to the effort, she said. Hospital staff and volunteers plan to coordinate flower deliveries to hospital patients once a month.