'So lovely': 10,000 Easter flowers showed up on doorsteps of Hamilton area homes
Laurie Brady returned home from walking her dog on Saturday to find a large pot of magenta flowers on her doorstep — a gesture that put a smile on her face.
"What a nice thing for people to do," Brady said. "It's so nice to see the kindness of strangers and generosity."
Brady, 47, said she and other residents in the Kirkendall neighbourhood came upon the potted surprises on Saturday afternoon. A friend of hers in East Hamilton said she also got a delivery.
The flowers, which included hydrangeas and chrysanthemums, came with a note from the Ravensbergen family. They operate Ravensbergen Greenhouses in Smithville, Ont.
"We have plants that currently don't have a home and we would like to spread some cheer to you and your family," reads part of the note.
'Smiles and warmth'
Many people took to the organization's Facebook page to express their thanks and share photos of the flowers.
"It's heartwarming," said the greenhouse's general manager William Ravensbergen of the Facebook posts they received from locals.
"(We) couldn't operate as a normal store, (there was) no place for our product anymore and we felt we had to get these plants into homes, otherwise they would be thrown into a compost pile," Ravensbergen said.
Half the donation was sponsored by a Stoney Creek-based company that wanted to remain anonymous, and the rest were donated by the Ravensbergens. The deliveries were handed across lower Hamilton and Dundas by volunteers from Blessings Christian Church, Grace Valley Church and Mercy Christian Church.
In total, 10,000 plants were distributed across Hamilton, Beamsville and Smithville.
Lia Hess, who used to be in the greenhouse industry and also received a bundle of flowers, said she instantly thought of how much the greenhouse industry must be struggling in these times.
"This coronavirus could not have happened at a worse time for these people because they've been working all winter," Hess said.
"This is your only time. This is the only time you have to make money and you will never get these sales back. So my heart just goes out to them," she added.
On the plus side, Hess said this sort of "goodwill gesture" will definitely attract new business their way in the future.
"For them to do an advertising ploy like this, I think, is creative, innovative, (it) puts their name out there and yeah, makes people happy too."
