The second wave of Covid-19 is hitting hard, especially the elderly in the nursing homes, not allowed to leave the home, wearing face masks, with limited visitors. Many of the seniors don’t understand. It’s cruel. At the same time, the staff looking after them have to constantly adjust to the changing regulations, explaining to the elderly and their families and, worst of all, seeing and feeling the misery of the seniors.
Inger Kristine gives a bunch of roses to the residents of "Het Hoge Heem"
Danish/Dutch rose breeder Viking Roses, together with Kenyan flower producers Molo River Roses and Flora Ola, decided to use their beautiful spray rose Rosa Loves Me Inger Kristine to bring a smile to the faces of the seniors and the brave staff looking after them in the Dutch home ‘Het Hoge Heem’ (Uithoorn, The Netherlands). Flowers have the ability to comfort and make people smile, even in an incomprehensible crisis.
Inger Kristine met Rosa Loves Me named after her
It is a fantastic gesture of the two Kenyan farms of the mZurri Group, that have just started to export their flowers again, need the income, but decided to donate first. Peter Kemei, CEO of mZurri, instantly replied “This is a humble gesture and we will support it,” when John Pouw of Viking Roses made the suggestion.
Breeder Rosa Eskelund and Andrew Wambua with Rosa Loves Me® Inger Kristine in the stand of Molo River Roses.
The story of the rose is a very unique one, with Peter Kemei and Kipng'etich Bett of Flora Ola picking the variety in the selection house of Viking Roses. Then, when her Norwegian friend Inger Kristine Olstad visited the Viking stand at a show and spoke with the breeder Rosa Eskelund, the latter asked if the Norwegian wanted a rose named after her. Enthusiastically she chose one coded flower of a tall big-headed soft pink spray rose that happened to be there. A few years later it was planted in Kenya and Rosa kept her promise, so the variety was baptized Rosa Loves Me Inger KristineTM.
Management of (Mzurri picking (the code that was later named) Rosa Love Me® Inger Kristine)
Happy and honored with the gesture, the Norwegian Inger Kristine was there herself to present the flowers to the seniors and staff of ‘Het Hoge Heem’, in a touching speech that she prepared in Dutch. ‘Luckily’ the regulations were slackened that day, so two seniors could be present to receive the first bouquets. Yesterday, every room, hall and home was filled with a big smile of joy in these tough times.
For more information:
Viking Roses
John Pouw
Email: [email protected]
www.vikingroses.com
For more information:
Molo River Roses
www.mzurrieflowers.co.ke