Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
How does one host a service club fundraiser during a global pandemic?
Carefully. Very, very carefully.
That’s the plan when the Kiwanis Club of Portales hosts its annual flower sale Saturday morning in the parking lot of C & S Inc. at 300 W. First St. in Portales.
Portales Kiwanian Anthony Schroeder said when the club picked the date for this annual ritual, it was well before any restrictions were in place.
The traditional petunias and geraniums were ordered and paid for in advance, so now club members are hoping (really, really, really hoping) that kind-hearted flower-starved community folks are willing to participate in new and non-traditional ways.
Saturday’s “contact-free” sale takes place from 8 a.m. until the flowers are gone — hopefully by noon, Schroeder said.
Instead of wandering through the flats of flowers as customers have done in the past, there are two ways to get your flower fix — both designed to avoid in-person contact.
You may drive up to the C & S parking lot on Saturday, roll your window down to place an order and pay, and members will load the flowers directly into your trunk or back seat.
Or, if you live within Portales city limits, you may call Schroeder at 575-749-1840 or club secretary Dorothy Glover at 575-714-7780 by Friday evening, place an order, and they will set you up for curbside delivery to take place on Saturday.
Either way, Schroeder said the club is asking for shoppers to be ready with either a check made out to the Kiwanis Club of Portales, or the correct amount of cash to prevent members from having to return change.
Keep in mind this is an organization that has a rich history of supporting local youth with scholarships, track meets, swimming meets, and school supplies; it also recently became a staunch backer of the local Dolly Parton Imagination Library initiative.
If you have the resources to spare, take more cash than you need or make that check out ahead of time for a generous amount. When you hand either over, say the three words that make service club members’ hearts sing: “Keep the change.”
Here is the selection expected to be available on Saturday morning. There should be red, white, and pink geraniums for $5 each. The red, white, pink, and purple petunias are sold by the half dozen ($4) or dozen ($8).
Schroeder said the flowers are locally grown and “have proved hardy in the past.”
Speaking from personal experience (as a woman who not only doesn’t have a green thumb, but who arguably has the Gray Thumb of Death), I can vouch for this. Even I have kept Kiwanis flowers alive in previous years. I kid you not.
Splash on some hand sanitizer, count your money, mask up, and show up (or simply make that call and let the Kiwanians do all the work).
An injection of petunias and a dose of geraniums is just what the doctor ordered.
Betty Williamson is ready for a petunia perk up. Reach her at:
