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Just in time for Memorial Day
RSVP flower sale raises funds to honor volunteers
rsvp flower sale
Twila Birzer, Beth Brummer, Kay Steinert, VerJean Scheuerman and Sheila DeWald pose with the mass of flowers they cleaned, fluffed and remade for the annual Memorial Day flower sales fundraisers. The group put in about 120 hours of volunteer time on this project. Funds pay for the annual Volunteer Recognition Banquet for RSVP of Central Kansas. - photo by COURTESY PHOTO

RSVP of Central Kansas volunteers have been sprucing up flowers to sell as a yearly fundraiser since mid-March all as part of a fundraiser that helps recognize over 250 volunteers that give their time and talents back to the community. 

Just in time for Memorial Day Monday, May 27, flowers are $5 or less and include wreaths, ground vases, headstone arrangements, and various sizes of stem bundles. All flowers are recycled and remade by four volunteers with floral arrangement experience. 

Flowers can be viewed at the RSVP of Central Kansas office, 1025 Main, room D114, in Great Bend, or the RSVP Thrift store in Hoisington located at 158 S. Main.

“The time spent in making this project happens is about 120 hours of volunteer work,” said Linn Hogg, director for RSVP of Central Kansas. In addition to RSVP volunteers, others who help are RSVP advisory council members, boy scouts and Upward Bound students.

May is also Older Americans Month, and the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) recognizes more than 220,000 older adults who are serving through Senior Corps Foster Grandparent, Senior Companion, and RSVP programs.  

Locally there is an emphasis on health with programs that include medical transportation, distributing food boxes, delivering hot meals, manning food banks and blood drives and Medicare insurance counseling. Volunteers also provide tax help, disaster recovery help, as well as serving in a plethora of non-profit agencies in the county.

According to a new independent report sponsored by CNCS, Senior Corps provides the access, structure, and financial support for low-income, at-risk Americans 55 and older to live happier, healthier lives while making a difference in their communities. In fact, findings show after two years of service, first-time Senior Corps reported improvements in health, decreased depression and less social isolation.

RSVP of Central Kansas has 285 volunteers who have served over 5,000 hours in the last year. This is why the flower sales are so important.

“Each year we recognize our volunteers for their dedication and service to the community,” said Hogg. “Money raised by the flowers sales helps pay for an annual Volunteer Recognition banquet held in August.”  

RSVP of Central Kansas is sponsored by Barton Community College and is a United Way Partner agency.

For more information, call RSVP at 620-792-1614.