Contributed by: Thea Folls / follsflowerfarm@yahoo.com

Hal and Thea from Folls Flower Farm are very happy to report that we have collected $340.00 for Oxfam America and $1240.00 for the Food Bank of Central New York.  It was very nice to have friends helping with this project and we would like to recognize them at this time.

Many thanks to Alexandra Congel for providing a generous donation to cover the cost of all the greens for this project.  Many thanks to Marilyn Matthys for providing the rose hips.  Thanks to Kate and Mary Benson, Meg O’Connell, Amy  and Erica Nye, Maddie Legg, Rose Ryan and Janet McSweeney for cutting greens, wiring pine cones, tying ribbons and working in the cold shop to help make the centerpieces.  Special thanks to Jesse and Joshua Walz for collecting pine cones in the park.
Many thanks to Janet McSweeney for gathering pine cones as well.  Special thanks to Lindy and Geoff Christoff at Wintergreen Farm for pine cones and a special concolor fir.  I also would like to thank Hal for taking over all the house and barn work for several weeks so I could spend every day in the shop working.  We also want to thank everyone that helped spread the word about this project including Laura Ponticello, Creekside Books and Coffee, the Skaneateles Chamber of Commerce, Key Bank with their terrific Key for Women group lead by Patti Hall and Deborah Cole and the Skaneateles Talk blog.

We would really like to spread this idea and project all over Syracuse and Auburn and anywhere else it can go for next year.  I would be happy to lead a trainer’s workshop in October to teach individuals with leadership skills to make the centerpieces then take the project back to their group to benefit food pantries all over.
If you are interested in learning how to do this just email me and I will contact you next fall.  This could become a great tradition to benefit those in need.  As you sow so shall you reap.  Nothing is greater than giving!