Practice “paying it forward” in Champaign-Urbana and get a free rose in return.
On Wednesday, September 3rd, residents of Champaign County will have a unique opportunity to meet each other and develop or renew friendships when The Blossom Basket Florist hosts Good Neighbor Day. For the 15th year, Blossom Basket Florist will give away 8,000 roses in bunches of a dozen, absolutely FREE to each person who comes to one of the give away locations beginning at 7:00am, while supplies last.
The Blossom Basket Florist has two shops located at 1002 N Cunningham Ave, Urbana and 2522 Village Green Place, in Village at the Crossing, Champaign. Roses will also be given away starting at 7:00am at local radio station Newstalk, Lite Rock, Classic Hits Radio Center at 2301 S. Neil Street in Champaign, and Busey Bank located at the intersection of Windsor and Duncan roads in Champaign.
However there is one catch: the owners of Blossom Basket Florist, hope the goodwill is exactly that – “catching”. Anyone who picks up a dozen free roses is asked to bring a non-perishable food item to donate to the TIMES Center Men’s Shelter and to sign a promise to keep one of the roses for themselves and give the others away to eleven different people.
“We hope that the people of Champaign County will be able to get acquainted with new people or will renew an old friendship during Good Neighbor Day.” states Ron Bailey, Owner. “We hope to help create a friendlier, more caring and more compassionate world starting right here in Champaign County.” “We want our community to feel loved and to spread that love to others through acts of kindness, generosity, and grace. This year we are posing the question ‘What can you do to change someone’s day the way yours was just changed?’” adds Brittany Bailey Frost, Sales Manager.
Partnering with the Blossom Basket Florist to sponsor this year’s event are WDWS, Lite Rock 97.5, Classic Hits 107.9, Meadowbrook Community Church, Busey Bank, and Martin Graphics.
Last year, the Blossom Basket gave away thousands of roses and collected over 1,000 pounds of food for the TIMES Center. The event was a huge success with roses going to local hospitals, nursing homes, businesses and neighborhoods all over Champaign County.