Flower recycling effort brings joy to others

"I've never arranged flowers before I came here a few months ago,” volunteer Elaine Wilson said.

"It's such an opportunity to have hundreds of flowers to choose from and make recycled flowers look beautiful for somebody,” Wilson said.

Every week, dozens of volunteers go to grocery stores and florists to collect flowers that are about to be thrown away. They bring the flowers to Raleigh Moravian Church, 1816 Ridge Road, and recycle them into floral arrangements.

They then donate those arrangements to area groups such as hospices, nursing homes, hospitals and Meals on Wheels.

"We get a lot of letters and so forth ... telling us how much they appreciate it," volunteer Mae Marshall said.

What began as a few ladies gathered around a kitchen table three years has grown into a huge flower-recycling effort that has created more than 40,000 floral arrangements. More than 60 volunteers show up at the Raleigh Moravian Church every Tuesday to make around 300 arrangements.

"If you were sick in bed and somebody set flowers next to you, would that not put a smile on your face?” volunteer Beth Uhl said.

It is a simple idea that brings volunteers simple pleasures.

You don't need any experience to arrange flowers for the group. They will give you a short lesson to show you the basics.

The Flower Shuttle is always looking for volunteers to help. For more information on donating or volunteering with The Flower Shuttle, e-mail: theflowershuttle@hotmail.com.