Rosy day for Rotary

COEUR d'ALENE - The Rotary Club of Coeur d'Alene delivered a record 1,109 dozen roses Friday as part of its annual rose sale.

Fran Nelson, 85, smiled as she received a dozen bright pink roses in her room in the Hospice House.

"Oh, they're gorgeous, they're so pretty. Hallelujah," she said as she accepted them. "Those are about the most perfect roses I've ever seen."

Many roses went to individuals, and 66 dozen went to area organizations such as women's shelters, the Union Gospel Mission and Tesh Inc. The Hospice of North Idaho Hospice House received 22 dozen pink, yellow and orange roses.

"I just feel delighted because I've been sick for so long," Nelson said. "This is just a light in my life. It really is. I've enjoyed receiving it, I've enjoyed the people around me, just about everything about it."

Amanda Miller, Rotary member and director of development of the Hospice House, said the flowers will be displayed in every room of the facility.

"I think one of the coolest things about the Rotary rose sale is that everywhere you go tomorrow and this weekend, you see roses everywhere," Miller said. "You're in the hospital, you see roses. You're in the grocery store, you see roses. It's a really fun project."

This is the second year the Coeur d'Alene Rotary has included care establishments on the list of recipients.

"This is really nice for our patients," Miller said. "It's just a great surprise for them to see flowers."

Rotarian Caryl Johnston spent the day delivering the floral gifts. She said it's a way to put smiles on faces and warm thoughts into the hearts of those who receive them.

"The members of the Rotary have the option of buying roses for somebody that might not (normally) receive roses," she said. "They want to brighten someone's day."

The rose sale has raised more than $500,000 for local and international organizations during its 24 years.