US Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday of May. Every year, veterans are being honored and for the last 11 years, nonprofit foundation Memorial Day Flowers placed flowers and bouquets on the graves of the veterans who have served the country, at the Arlington National Cemetery in Washington DC, one of the most famous cemeteries in the country. This year they will again honor the veterans with flowers and several floral organizations support this initiative.
Last year's tribute
CalFlowers, for example is the largest partner and sponsor. But also Flowers of Colombia is an annual sponsor. "In fact 96% of the flowers (a mix of all varieties) are provided by California and Colombia. The Foundation uses all types of focals, fillers, and line flowers", Memorial Day Flowers Foundation reports.
Also,importers from Miami are generous in the support of the flower placement. "Many of these importers sponsor certain sections/graves. (Similar to how the graves at Margraten are "adopted” by Dutch families). "
People can also sponsor a bouquet via the Memorial Day Flowers Foundation. Also The Rose Guy has set up a charitable campaign with supporting partners the Memorial Flowers Foundation and Cuenca Expat Magazine for the donation of Ecuadorian roses. "On Memorial Day weekend, 10,000 cars will pass through the gates of Arlington. We would like to be able to put an Ecuadorian rose bouquet in the hands of every car that drives through so they may place it on one of the 280,000 graves. Also, a large group of the foundation’s volunteers will be placing roses on many of the graves", says Hugh Prather of The Rose Guy.
Ecuadorian roses at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington DC, last year.
Last year the foundation placed 280,000 roses and bouquets on the 280,000 gravesites and 10,000 roses at the Tomb of The Unknown Soldier, Arlington National Cemetery in Washington DC.
Eager to be part of this charitable campaign of The Rose Guy? A donation of $10 per bouquet will cover the cost of the roses and transportation to Washington. "Fortunately, the organization is given huge discounts on the roses which make them practically free and the foundation receives huge discounts on the transportation." A donation of $10 per bouquet can be made on The Rose Guy's website. Go to http://www.yourroseguy.com where you will now first see the landing page when you access the site. (Corporate donations begin at $1,500 dollars which pays for 1000 Ecuadorian Roses.)
For more information
Memorial Day Flowers Foundation
www.memorialdayflowers.org