Month: July 2013

On a relatively quiet Friday afternoon, our Smile Team ventured to the Massapequa 1800Flowers retail store to deliver smiles to our customers and passers-by. Since it happened to be June 21st, the first day of summer, the team created an old-fashioned Lemonade Stand in the parking lot, where they offered free cups of lemonade to anyone seeking a little refreshment.

Armed with a homemade sign and sandwich board, and with some junior Smile Team members on hand to help give out the lemonade, the team was ready to start serving. But there was a fun catch to this Lemonade Stand—anyone who came by for a drink (yes, the team actually gave out cups of lemonade) was also surprised with a truly original Make Lemonade™ bouquet!

Most people were shocked, not realizing they were getting a gorgeous bouquet for free! Especially with the kids lending a hand, almost everyone thought it was a charity event. But instead it was simply 1800Flowers delivering sweet smiles!

Smile Team member and 1800Flowers.com employee Chandra Savage recalls her favorite encounter of the day: “I told the customer ‘This is for you just because 1800Flowers wants to share a smile.’ She couldn’t believe it, until finally I told her ‘No, this is just for you!’ She then asked me to take a picture with her so we could smile together.”

Fellow Smile Team member Craig Aquino adds, “The shock on people’s faces when we pulled the arrangements out from under the lemonade stand was priceless. People were genuinely surprised to receive a free gift just for stopping by which created many impromptu smiles. These were contagious, as I couldn’t stop grinning myself.”

Even the real stars of the day, the kids who were an invaluable part of drawing people to the stand, were touched by the day’s events. “It made me feel happy,” said Cassie Tura, daughter of Smile Team member Joe Tura, “to sell lemonade, then give people flowers instead and watch them smile.”

All in all, it was a rewarding afternoon for our Smile Team. Whether it was giving out lemonade to a tired bicyclist, or handing an arrangement to a busy mother of two, “it felt good to catch everyone off guard,” said Team Leader Michael Yi. “We were sort of refreshing them in two ways.”

Free Cheryl’s Cookies and Popcorn Factory Popcorn Balls!

We’ve all heard the expression, “There’s no such thing as a free lunch.” Well, that is especially true at baseball games, where a hot dog can cost up to seven dollars. That is why we at 1-800-Flowers.com decided to hand out pallets of free Cheryl’s cookies and popcorn balls from The Popcorn Factory. As part of our Summer of Smiles Campaign, we sent a Smiles team to Citi Field on Tuesday, July 2nd, and spent the night delivering smiles to baseball fans. After watching the first five innings of the game, our team gathered at the main entrance, ready to brighten up the days of the many fans that were leaving the ball park.

Although it got a bit hectic at some points, the shocked and thankful reactions of the fans encouraged us to work hard. We stayed until the very end so that we could give away cookies and popcorn to the dedicated fans who sat through the rain to see the entire game. By the end of the day, we were able to put a smile on the faces of thousands of people. To top it all off, the Mets came away with a win! Now, that’s what I call a great day.

On Monday July 1, 2013, the 1-800-Flowers.com Summer of a Million Smiles program gave a special 4^th of July salute to the war veterans at Northport Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Northport, N.Y. To show our heroes appreciation and gratitude for their service, we delivered star-spangled smiles to the nursing home with dozens of patriotic flowers!

Smile Squad team leader and 1-800-Flowers.com employee Maureen Paradine headed to the Northport VA Medical Center with her co-workers Kelly Trench, John Sharkey, Marc Cole, Christine Brooks, Cynthia Thompson, Pam Sciala, Tina Finnochiaro, Jalisa Clark and Rachel Armendariz to pay homage to the nursing home veterans, who live there year-round. Each veteran living at the Northport VA Medical Center was injured in the line of duty while serving in the military.

To help make the nursing home extra-festive in time for its annual 4^th of July dinner, the Smile Squad decorated the halls with an Americana Heart Preserved Wreath and adorned the dining room with 35 beautiful patriotic arrangements and brightly lit candles. Once the decorations were ready, the team also hand-delivered red, white and blue carnations—and big smiles to match—to 119 patients.

At the end of the day, Smile Squad members were fortunate enough to enjoy a private luncheon with the vets, during which they presented a beautiful bouquet to a WWII and Korean War veteran and his lovely wife of 57 years. The 4^th of July Summer of a Million Smiles event team was also most fortunate to receive product donations from 1-800-Flowers.com’s supplier partners: Pavilion Gift Company, Infinite Rose, Floral Treasure, Pacific Bouquet and DelawareValley. Their thoughtful and generous contributions brought smiles to everyone’s faces!

After meeting so many amazing heroes—such as a POW Commander and a D-Day Beach Lander—and listening to their touching military stories, the 1-800-Flowers.com Smile Squad thanked each one for their service and wished them a happy 4th of July. The day was emotionally charged and unforgettable for the team members, who were all so happy to be a part of such a special day.

“My Summer of a Million Smiles team had the best day visiting with the Vets at the Northport VA Hospital,” says Smile Squad member and 1-800-Flowers.com employee Rachel Armendariz. “Paying tribute to these brave and honorable soldiers makes me proud to be an American. Thank you to 1-800-Flowers.com for putting the program together!”