How Dümmen Orange and Others Made Petal it Forward 2019 a Success
November 5, 2019 
Dümmen Orange, North America played a big role in the four Petal It Forward events that took place across the country on Oct. 23. In Columbus, OH, where the company’s North American operations are based, the group distributed more than 500 bouquets and 600 succulents to surprised recipients. With the directive to keep one bouquet or succulent for themselves and give the other away, recipients were able to experience the joy of both receiving and giving plants for no particular reason.
Petal It Forward was organized by the Society of American Florists (SAF). This year, more than 650 Petal It Forward events took place in all 50 states, as well as Canada and Puerto Rico. Dümmen Orange joined forces with Timbuk Farms, which generously donated 600 succulents, and Flores Silvestres, which donated more than 1,000 cut mum stems. Additional events took place with horticultural distributor McHutchison Horticulture in Wayne, NJ, with horticultural distributor Vaughan’s Horticulture in Naperville, IL, and in Carpinteria, CA, home of Dümmen Orange’s Cut Flower Product Manager, Christa Boerlage.
“We spread a lot of happiness,” Boerlage says. “And we were able to do so because of generous flower donations from our Petal It Forward partners: Flores Prisma, Flores Silvestres, La Gaitana Farms, Timbuk Farms, Mobi’s Floral, Maximum Flowers, Ocean Breeze Farms, Myriad Flowers International, and Hilltop Flowers.” Other partners for the events included Dreisbach Wholesale Florists, Hillcrest Garden, and Kennicott Brothers Co.
“This was my third year participating in Petal It Forward and each year it gets better and better,” says Becca Barth, Marketing Coordinator at Dümmen Orange. “It’s a day everyone here looks forward to each year. I personally love seeing people from all over the industry come together to spread happiness. It’s magical to witness how big an impact a small, random act of kindness can have on someone’s day.”
Mike Pezzillo, Vice President of Operations at McHutchison, shared similar sentiments to Boerlage and Barth.
“We saw the first hand effects of unexpected kindness, often emotional reactions characterized by surprise, hugs, and tears,” he says. “The power of flowers is real and people from all walks of life appreciate kindness.”
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