Annual Spring Bouquet Sale Benefits Hospice Patients

An annual hospice spring bouquet sale honors the memory of one woman’s family.

Nearly 40 years ago, Cathy McGovern, a florist in Buffalo, New York, hosted a spring bouquet sale to raise money for a local hospice organization. McGovern initially created the event as a tribute to her father-in-law, who benefitted from hospice care for his pancreatic cancer at that time. After his death, his wife also entered hospice later that year.

Volunteers help to trim, cut and package the bouquets.

McGovern, owner of Trillium’s Courtyard Florist, says the end-of-life care that Hospice and Palliative Care Buffalo provided for her family spurred the idea to raise money for the organization. The effort raised more than five thousand dollars that first year. Last year, more than $400,000 was raised through the sale of these bouquets. The annual Spring Bouquet Sale has raised more than 7 million dollars since its inception.

McGovern explained to local news station WGRZ, “It’s still a very emotional event for me. Just to think about how long ago we started this and how far it has come. It’s a reminder of why I enjoy being a part of this.”

Now, more than 20,000 bouquets are sold and distributed across Erie County each year. Dozens of schools, organizations and local businesses host a pre-sale during winter months to garner support.

Additionally, there is a public sale every March for these prized arrangements. The bouquets can be purchased at local florist shops and various public sites throughout the county.

Fundraising with Flowers is a Growing Trend

Other hospice providers across the country host similar events each spring. Niagara Hospice of Lockport, New York, sells standard bouquets and special long-stem arrangements to local residents. Hospice of Orleans in Albion, New York, hosts an annual spring bouquet sale, as well. Others, like Friends of Hospice of Southwest Washington host an annual spring flower basket sale. In lieu of springtime, Hospice of Orange and Sullivan in Newburgh, New York, hosts an annual mum sale in early fall. And Hospice of Acadiana in Lafayette, Louiiana, boasts an annual poinsettia sale to raise funds.

Hospice & Palliative Care Buffalo is hosting a pre-sale event for this year’s spring bouquet sale through February 3. Their website promotes the event as “Marking the beginning of Spring in Western New York for 38 years!” The organization’s Facebook page encourages its 11,000 followers to volunteer for this coveted community event.

The Annual Spring Bouquet public sale runs March 4 through March 9, 2024. Bouquets will be sold at participating florists and at various businesses across Western New York. For every $35 bouquet purchased, a smaller bouquet is also delivered to a local hospice patient.

If you live in the Buffalo, New York area and would like more information about becoming a Bouquet Sale Coordinator, please contact the Special Events Team at events@palliatiativecare.org or call (716) 989-2010.