COLUMBIA, Maine (WABI) – A Columbia garden shop owner launched a community flower initiative that has delivered nearly 200 bouquets to nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and homebound seniors across Washington County.
Kim Bailey Look, owner of Elmer’s Gardens, started Kindness Week to extend beyond the single-day observance of Random Acts of Kindness Day in mid-February. What began as a small effort grew after community members caught on.
“It started slow,” Look said. “I didn’t expect a lot of people to see it and be like, ‘Oh, man, I want to do that.’ And then I started getting people saying, ‘Can I Venmo you money?’ And I’m like, I don’t know how to do that.”
How the program works
Look enlisted her son to help set up a Venmo account. For every $10 donated, Elmer’s Gardens prepares and delivers one kindness bouquet. Look is also matching every donation.
“We were over 150. I’m almost at 200 right now,” she said. “We’re out of flowers, which is a great problem to have.”
Where the bouquets are going
Deliveries have focused on nursing homes and assisted living facilities, including the Maine Veterans Home in Machias. The program has since expanded to include homebound seniors.
“It’s kind of part of our community that gets forgotten the most,” Look said. “We saw a lot of tears. We saw a lot of smiles. We had people stop and pick up kindness bouquets that we had at the shop, and called us and told us stories that they had taken them and stopped at places that they might not have stopped at.”
Look said she was moved by the community’s response.
“I was floored. I was overwhelmed,” she said. “Washington County has proven themselves time and time again.”
Kindness Project continues
Kindness Week has ended, but Elmer’s Gardens is continuing the effort under a new name: the Kindness Project. The shop says it will keep the program going as long as the community continues to donate.
Residents can sponsor a bouquet by visiting the store on Route 1 in Columbia, calling the shop, or messaging Elmer’s Gardens on Facebook.
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