Island women begin flower program to cheer elderly
BY MARY LANCASTER INDEPENDENT WRITER
Every Monday, island senior citizens are receiving nourishment for their spirits as well as their bodies, thanks to a new program started by friends Penny Dey and Joy Cowen. In what they call Sharing Flowers on Nantucket, the women create beautiful bouquets from flowers being replaced by local florists, put them in vases of water and take them to the hospital kitchen to be given to Meals on Wheels clients along with their lunches.

PHOTOS BY ROB BENCHLEY / THE INDEPENDENT Rani Dey, age 11, helps her aunt, Penny Dey, who is hidden behind a floral arrangement and Joy Cowan arrange bouquets for the elderly.

Cowan, a year-rounder until 1993 and now a summer resident, learned of a similar program called The Flower Shuttle in Raleigh, N. C. where arrangements are gathered from weddings and other events and made into bouquets for the elderly instead of being tossed out. She suggested the idea to Dey, who then contacted Elder Services about trying it as a pilot program. At this point, the women are getting their flowers from Flowers on Chestnut and The Flower Shop, and spend Sunday afternoons at Dey's house creating bunches that she drops off Monday mornings for deliveries.

"I couldn't be happier with it," said Mark Budaj, the nutrition coordinator for Elder Services who is in charge of Meals on Wheels. "It's amazing how a vase of flowers can bring joy to people. It makes them feel appreciated."

The flower shops are more than willing to be a part of this effort.

"It's a good use for the leftover flowers, it's nice for the seniors and it brings a little cheer to someone's day," said Tim Walker, manager of Marine Home Center's flower shop who gives Dey and Cowan between 50 to 100 stems a week at a significant discount.

Michael Molinar, who for years has donated flowers to the Adult Community Day Center for their weekly arrangement activity, is also contributing several large bouquets of slightly older flowers for this new program.

"It's the end of the week for us. Sunday works out well. I'm more than happy to do anything I can to help, especially when these people are going out of their way to do something special," said Molinar. "The Meals on Wheels program is something I've always felt was very important here, and if there is something I can do to make that a little prettier I'm happy to help in any way I can."

Dey and Cowan, with occasional assistance from family and friends, make up as many bouquets as there are Meals on Wheels clients every week, averaging between 25 and 30. Cowan, who works part-time at Surfing Hydrangea, uses clippings from nursery prunings to add to the blossoms. They are placed in vases the women bought and areaccompanied by a little card for each person that wishes them well. When Dey delivers the new bouquets to the hospital she picks up the empty vases the drivers return from the previous week and cleans them in preparation for the upcoming arrangements.

"I've used the dishwasher for the first time in 10 years," Dey said with a laugh.

Cowan and Dey said they like the concept of reminding island seniors that people are thinking of them, especially in the summer when they may be housebound while others are out and enjoying the season.

"The flower shops are helping us by donating wonderful flowers. As it turns out, the end of the week is a good time for the flower shops to move their stock when they are getting ready to renew it," said Cowan. "We just wanted to reach out and bring [the elders] a little bit of cheer. We are having so much fun. If it is bringing anyone as much pleasure as it's bringing us to look at the finished product it's worth the effort. I was happy that Penny thought it was a good idea. Our work together has been so easy. We get completely energized."

The women hope to expand their program next year by making connections for more flowers through churches and wedding planners and are hoping to be able to include people in the hospital, at Our Island Home and others in their flower sharing. Anyone interested in donating flowers from events may contact Dey and Cowan through sharingflowers@gmail.com. I