As Thanksgiving approaches, our hearts swell with gratitude for the blessings in our lives. In the spirit of this season of thanks, I find myself reflecting on the extraordinary people who make our world brighter, one gesture of kindness at a time.

Today, I want to shine a spotlight on someone truly special – a person whose kindness and creativity embodies the true essence of giving. Her name is Marianne Cashman, and her gift for turning our aging blooms into beautiful expressions of love for those in need is remarkable.

You may not know this but at Les Fleurs, we strive to elongate the lives of our florals as much as we can. After a wedding, or at the end of the week, any leftover flowers are donated to associations like Power of Flowers or projects like Marianne’s, to give a second life to our blooms.

I recently had the chance to interview Marianne and wanted to share the story about her flower-giving project with you. I hope you find it inspiring!

What inspired you to start this project creating flower arrangements for others? Was there a particular moment or experience that motivated you to begin?

It was during the early months of 2022, as we were coming out of the holidays, as a society determined to move forward and resume normalcy after living through a pandemic, that I recognized women in particular were exhausted, struggling, having a hard time, and I wanted to help. I wanted to make sure these women knew that they were seen, valued and not alone. So, I came up with the idea to search out inexpensive vases, purchase a small bundle of flowers and leave them for women with a note of encouragement. A very wise woman suggested that I ask if a local florist might like to partner with me and I immediately thought of Les Fleurs. I remember the day we first spoke about it. Your immediate enthusiasm for the project gave me such hope and confidence that together, we were going to make an impact on the lives of others.

In what ways have you seen this project create positive impacts and make a difference in people's lives?

As 98% of the deliveries are anonymous, I haven't had too many experiences meeting folks in person. But when I do, they are so very excited and appreciative - and often a little baffled as to why someone would be thinking of them. In other cases, I've seen folks post comments thanking whomever brought them, appreciating their flowers and thoughtfulness. What I always hope is that my acts of kindness, thinking of others, will encourage those folks to pay it forward to help someone else, in even the smallest of ways.

What I personally have been reminded of is just how good it feels to give and do for others; it really does not matter if they know it came from us. I find it more exciting and rewarding when the recipient doesn't know.

It's clear that you have a passion for arranging flowers. Can you tell us more about your love for floral design and how it plays a role in this volunteer project?

The flowers from your shop are like works of art - just magnificent, so beautiful - with their own personality. Some are robust and flamboyant, while others are soft and elegant. It's a challenge to create an arrangement that honors their beauty. As I get lost in being creative, I find any stress in my life disappears!  And when done, I am excited thinking that someone will be able to enjoy them and hopefully, it brightens their day.

What do you find most fulfilling about creating these arrangements?

The act of doing: stopping into Les Fleurs, gathering the flowers, creating the arrangements, delivering them – it’s simply so fulfilling and rewarding. On top of that, knowing that someone smiled and felt the love that day because of those flowers is simply the very best feeling. Being able to give is the greatest gift.

In closing, I really can't thank you enough, Sandra, for partnering with me on this project. It's been so rewarding and a lot of fun, popping in each week, getting to see and chat with you and your team. I feel so very blessed and am forever grateful!

I want to thank Marianne for the warmth and generosity she shares with others, not only through her floral creations!

As we gather around our tables this year, let us remember that the greatest gift of all is the presence of those we love. I hope you have a wonderful day today celebrating with your loved ones, and wish you all a happy Thanksgiving!

Many blessings,
Sandra