Why We Petal It Forward

We didn't need a scientific study to tell us flowers make people happy.

Fortin Gage has been a part of this community since 1931 and we take that to heart. We get to experience the joy people have in giving and receiving flowers daily. What we did learn from the latest study on the effects flowers have on people by Society of American Florists, is that they raise our emotional and mental well being. We asked Southern New Hampshire Health Systems if they wanted to partner with us in making this #petalitforward2022 our biggest yet. It was a no brainer for them as October was also National Mental Health Awareness Month.

Photo by Esmeldy Angeles

So here's why...

Before we dive into our reason for saying "YES" every year for the past 7 years, let me tell you exactly what #Petalitforward is. We order bouquets of flowers from our local supplier weeks in advance. Our team and those from the community who we invite to join us, walk around Downtown Nashua. We hand each person two bouquets. One for them to keep, and one for them to petal it forward. Now I'll tell you why we take on this large production every single year. 

1. Community

It's a privilege to continue to serve each and every member of this community. Thank you for allowing us to be a part of your lives from first hellos to final good-byes. This is the day we get to see the ripple effect of giving and receiving flowers in a big way. This year employees of SNHH and City of Nashua Department of Health joined us in our first voyage downtown! Bouquets were handed to store owners, those running late for appointments (sorry!), people dining outside, delivery drivers, and even people stopped at red lights. JajaBelles had 30 bouquets that they handed out to the lunch crowd. SNHH handed out over 100 to patients and employees. To end the day, kids from Nashua PAL handed out 40 bouquets in the afternoon to those in their neighborhood. All of this on top of the many trips our staff took with our little red wagon. We do it to bring together and be a part of our community.

Photo by Esmeldy Angeles

2. Genuine Joy

Tears. Real tears are shed. Hugs are given. Lots of "really?!?!" and high-fives. We get to surprise our neighbors with something to not only lift their spirits, but an opportunity for them to also lift another's. We heard about bad days turned around, hopelessness replaced with hope, and this being the "sign" they asked for. A real immediate impact is what we see when we are a part of Petal It Forward. For days afterward we hear stories, get email, and phone calls to say thank you and how it made someone smile. We do it for the smiles. 

3. We need an uplift sometimes too

We aren't too proud to say we have hard days as well. The outdated belief that you leave home at home and work at work just is not possible. When we hand out bouquets to our neighbors our emotional and mental health gets a boost too. The phone calls, emails, texts, photos, and stories we see for the days (and weeks!) after are a continued boost. We do it because we need an uplift too. 

A BIG GIANT thank you to SNHH for helping us have our biggest #PetalitForward ever! Your sponsorship allowed us to do more for our neighbors than we ever have. We can't wait to see what next year brings!