1,000 floral bouquets needed to put smiles on faces of Maple Ridge Pitt Meadows residents

A Thanksgiving campaign for flowers to put smiles on seniors faces is looking for help.

The Bouquets for Baba Fall Campaign is hoping to get enough donations for 1,000 bouquets so they can keep giving for one more year.

“We need the community to bouquet give so we can keep showing our seniors, who are the most lonely and isolated or at the end of their lives, that we care. We remember and honour them. They are not forgotten,” explained Treena Innes, executive director of the Ridge Meadows Division of Family Practice and founder of Bouquets for Baba. Baba is Ukrainian for grandmother.

Innes started the initiative in March, 2021, in honour of her mother, who she would visit in McKenney Creek Hospice before she passed away.

Innis noticed that not every resident was receiving visitors and thought it would be nice to spread joy to those who are lonely, who may be facing the end of their lives and who may have already lost all their loved ones and the social connections they used to have.

Everyone Innis talked to about her idea jumped on board.

The program is in partnership with Maple Ridge Florist to supply bouquets of flowers to hospice residents, residents of long-term care facilities, and those in palliative care in the community.

READ MORE: Bouquets for Baba bringing joy to Maple Ridge residents in end-of-life care

The Give Kindness Campaign ends Oct. 9.

This year every bouquet contribution will be entered to win a Flowers for a Year + More Prize Pak that includes: flowers for a year from Maple Ridge Florist, April Lacheur greeting cards, a calendar, and coffee from The Nut coffee shop in Maple Ridge.

Every annual bouquet contribution will be entered to win a Thanksgiving Dinner Prize Pak that includes: April Lacheur art cards, a Capri Italian Bistro Thanksgiving Dinner for six and accompanying wines, a Maple Ridge Florist floral centerpiece, and gift basket from Town and Country Vintage Home.

One bouquet is $30 plus tax, 12 bouquets that will be handed out over a year is $360 plus tax, and bouquets for two years is $720 plus tax.

Every dollar goes to the costs of the bouquet, noted Innis.

ALSO: Founder of Maple Ridge program Bouquets for Baba recognized by Canucks organization

“Our florist, Maple Ridge Florist, is generously donating staff time and space and takes no profit,” she said.

To donate call 604-467-3456 or visit Maple Ridge Florist to purchase or go to fill out their giving form online.

To date, more than 1,500 bouquets with handwritten messages have been handed out in the community.

“Our goal is to have 100 bouquets we can count on and distribute each month, and this kindness is here to stay,” said Innis.

For more information contact Treena Innes at 778-885-5750 or email bouquetsforbaba@gmail.com.