Afton Flower Shop News
New business to plant roots in Grafton - Mountain Statesman
Saturday, January 18, 2020GRAFTON—Driven by a passion to follow her dream and a desire to provide residents with a great place to grab a cute gift, one local woman will soon be opening her own flower/wine shop.Be sure to mark your calendars for the grand opening of The Flower Market, Grafton’s newest business.Life-long resident Jill Sturm said that she has always felt that residents needed a place they could pop in to grab a unique gift here in town, instead of having to always travel out of town when in need of the perfect gift.“Sometimes something comes up and you need a gift fast, or maybe you just don’t feel like traveling to Bridgeport or Morgantown to find something for someone,” Sturm explained. “It has always been a complaint of mine that we are always forced to travel out of town, and while the other shops in town are great, I wanted to add something a little different for individuals to choose from.”That, in part, led Sturm to set out on the adventure of owning her very own shop, a florist/wine specialt... https://mountainstatesman.com/article/new-business-to-plant-roots-in-grafton
Sang, Cuffe rule Bridge of Flowers
Tuesday, August 14, 2018Franklin County and signed up just in time.Cuffe captured the women’s overall title, and Leibold was the runner-up on the men’s side, as the engaged couple from Grafton showed their mettle on an overcast but comfortable Saturday.Cuffe, who was a standout runner and three-time Pac-12 champion at Stanford University, won the women’s race with a time of 29 minutes. She bested last year’s winner, Holly Rees, who was the runner-up in 29:22.“I didn’t look at the course before signing up,” began the 24-year-old Cuffe of the grueling course, which celebrated a successful first year as an 8K race after moving from a 10K course, “but I loved the race so much. You can tell the people in the town really get into it and that makes it special for the runners involved.”Leibold led for a large portion of Saturday’s race. He moved into the lead heading up the daunting 1-kilometer Crittenden Hill, pushed the pace and broke free from a pack of five runners. That’s when Chicopee’s Amos Sang came charging, however. Sang, the 2014 champion, closed the gap on the downhill portion following the summit, and eventually took the lead as he and Leibold turned onto the brief spell of Route 112 just before Mile 4. It was tight down the stretch, with the pair swapping spots twice, before Sang broke free late and crossed wit... https://www.recorder.com/Bridge-of-Flowers-19415790
Deep field set for Bridge of Flowers 40th anniversary
Tuesday, August 14, 2018Semehar Tesfaye, of West Roxbury. Tesfaye won the Bridge of Flowers in 2016 in 39:03.Another major challenger is newcomer Aisling Cuffee, who graduated from Stanford but now lives in North Grafton and runs for Saucony under coach Ray Treacy. Cuffee has a 15:11 personal record in a 5K.The third, fourth and fifth-place finishers from a year ago also return in the women’s field. Apryl Sabadosa, of Westfield, took third. Karen Bertasso, of Albany, New York, is a two-time Bridge of Flowers winner. She was fourth last year. The fifth-place finisher from a year ago was Jenna Giglioti, of Northampton, who joins Sabadosa as two of the top female runners in the Western Mass. Distance Project.Another person to keep an eye on is newcomer Kim Nedeau, of Leverett, who is a top hill runner in New England and placed second at the Mount Washington Road Race in 2016.Ashley Krauss, of Easthampton, recently placed eighth at the James Joyce 10K in Dedham, which served as the U.S. championship for the Master’s (ages 40-49) Division. Sidney Letendre, of Florence, returns after running an 8:11 pace on the course last season at the age of 62. https://www.gazettenet.com/Bridge-of-Flowers-19387803
Grafton Floral's Larew recognized at the 2018 Teleflora Unit President's Meeting - Mountain Statesman
Sunday, February 11, 2018GRAFTON—Sheila Larew, our very own local florist from Grafton Floral, was recognized on several fronts at the 2018 Unit President’s Meeting. The florist co-owner traveled to Los Angeles, CA, and joined 44 other unit presidents in attendance at the Renaissance Hotel.Each year, there is a different theme for the meeting and this year it was called “AIM,” which stood for aspire, involved and motivate.The attendees went to several meetings, where they were taught different networking skills. The importance of how to utilize social media from a business perspective was emphasized.During the event, a trade fair, which included several different vendors, exhibited products for potential use by those in attendance.According to Larew, she won a Floral Education scholarship, valued at $1800, by choosing a gift from a table provided by Teleflora. In addition, she will be attending an all-expense paid trip titled “Everything but the Bouquet” from June 1-3, in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Sheila...
From a single Mother's Day carnation to a riot of flowers - Mercer Space
Tuesday, May 02, 2017It wasn’t intended to be a commercial bonanza. Credit for our Mother’s Day holiday goes to Anna Jarvis, who in 1908 had her mother memorialized at St. Andrew’s Methodist Church in Grafton, West Virginia. Decades later the church took advantage of the occasion by becoming incorporated as the International Mother’s Day Shrine — something to visit should you ever inexplicably find yourself in Grafton.Jarvis chose white carnations to put on her mother’s grave because they were her mother’s favorite flower. With the success of the Sunday service, Jarvis campaigned for a national Mother’s Day. It took a lot of work but by 1914 Woodrow Wilson signed a presidential proclamation designating the second Sunday in May as a national holiday to honor mothers.Florists and card companies loved the idea and quickly touted their respective offerings as gifts. Jarvis was not amused. She argued that Mother’s Day was to be a moment for personal remembrance and acknowledgement — make your own cards and gifts — and not a money maker for others. When the nonprofit American War Mothers, founded in 1917, started selling Mother’s Day carnations to raise funds, Jarvis took to the streets and was arrested for disturbing the peace.Flower sellers quickly leaped upon the language of flowers, a concept known as floriography. While various attributes have been assigned to flowers for thousands of years, modern marketers carefully selected those for carnations.White carnations were said to symbolize the attributes of motherhood: purity, faithfulness, charity, and beauty. That seems a bit much, but these flowers are only to be used for mothers who...
Flower Farming: Passiflora Farm specializes in flowers, from seed to centerpiece - Powell Tribune
Saturday, January 18, 2020Cody.When people hear about Passiflora Farm, its novelty often piques their curiosity.“You grow flowers in Wyoming?” they ask founder Melissa Urick.“Yep,” she responds. “I’m giving it a go.”From delicate dahlias to heirloom sweet peas to unique ranunculus, Urick grows dozens of varieties on the small family farm.“This is a different type of ag,” she said. With a background in agriculture and plant science, Urick knows how to help flowers thrive in Wyoming.But her work isn’t done when she cuts the stems — as a florist, she also specializes in creative designs with the fresh-cut flowers.“We say it’s from seed to centerpiece,” she said. “It’s really from the beginning all the way to the end.” A love for plantsUrick’s journey to becoming a farmer-florist started at an early age; she has always loved plants.“I never had any doubt about what I wanted to do when I grew up — I knew it had to be something with plants,” she said.After receiving a bachelor’s degree in plant and soil science, and then a master’s in agriculture and natural resources, Urick worked in a lab for a while.“While I enjoyed that a lot, I did miss being outside, being in the fi... http://www.powelltribune.com/stories/flower-farming-passiflora-farm-specializes-in-flowers-from-seed-to-centerpiece,20631
BBB consumer warning: Graduation gifts that never arrive - KTVZ
Tuesday, August 13, 2019BBBs across the United States, Canada and Mexico, including BBB Northwest + Pacific, which serves more than 15 million consumers across Alaska, Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Montana, Hawaii and Western Wyoming. https://www.ktvz.com/news/bbb-consumer-warning-graduation-gifts-that-never-arrive/1083986113
Dawn Talley-Fogleman - County 17
Tuesday, July 23, 2019June 29, 2019, beginning at noon at 37 Parkside Circle in Gillette. Additional time of gathering will be held at a later date in Faith, South Dakota.Dawn Renae Talley-Fogleman, 70, of Gillette, Wyoming, passed peacefully to be with her Lord in the early hours of Thursday, June 20, 2019.Born Dec. 23, 1948, to Robert Talley (deceased) and Geraldine Cullers-Talley (deceased) in Opal, South Dakota, Dawn was the eldest sister to Robin Talley-Ballmer of George West, Texas, and Lynette Talley-Wilson of Perth, Western Australia.She is survived by her husband James D. Fogleman who was by her side until her final breath. She is also survived by her two sons, Ronald Fogleman and Robert Fogleman; four grandchildren, Christopher, Charity, Stephen, and Wyatt Fogleman; and her two great-grandchildren, all of Gillette, Wyoming. Dawn was aunt and Godparent to both her nieces: Dr. Noelle Ballmer of Corpus Christi, Texas, and Vanessa Ballmer of Katy, Texas.Dawn will be remembered for her selfless and unwavering love of her family, friends, and her dearest pets. As a rancher’s daughter, her heart was never far from home. The UT Ranch in Opal, South Dakota, holds very special childhood memories for Dawn. She attended all but one of her Opal Class reunions and maintained specia... https://county17.com/2019/06/26/dawn-talley-fogleman/
Citizen of the Year: Catlins fantastic florist - Champaign/Urbana News-Gazette
Tuesday, January 08, 2019Danville, where she met her husband, Tim, then a manager trainee.She and Tim married in May 1987. That October, Tim's job with the department store took them to Iowa and then Nebraska, Kansas, Wyoming and Minnesota. In Nebraska, Welsh — who continued to work as a florist out west — directed community theater, served on the Miss Nebraska Pageant board of directors and directed the pageant for three years. In Wyoming, she was involved with the Cheyenne Frontier Days, billed as the world's largest outdoor rodeo and western celebration.In 2004, the couple and their young son, Tanner, moved back to Catlin to be near family. A couple of years later, Welsh opened Floral-n-Flair, a flower shop and event-planning business, in the same downtown building she started out in. She and business partner Kay Smoot also own and operate a gift boutique called Pauline's Attic.Welsh was working one evening when Stutsman popped in."Who got it, and how are we going to decorate?" she asked, thinking he'd stopped by to discuss the Citizen of the Year banquet at the Methodist Church, which she decorates.She was floored by his answer."It still hasn't sunk in," she said, the day before the banquet.While honored, Welsh was quick to acknowledge her "crew," including local high school students and residents who help her set up for community events, weddings and parties — and family. Tanner, who turns 21 this month, has autism, and Tim is his full-time caregiver and still finds time to help out at work."I wouldn't be able to do any of this without him," she said."It's always been a team effort," she continued, adding she learned that from her dad who helped out in many ways at the shop and home before he passed away a couple of years ago.Welsh recalled sitting at the family table years ago after her brother became a 1,000-yard rusher on his high school football team."My dad pointed to his picture on the front of the sports page and said, 'He wouldn't have done that without his line that blocked for him.' I've always remembered that. You can't do it alone. You have to surround yourself with good people and work as a team."... http://www.news-gazette.com/noelle-mcgee/2018-11-01/citizen-the-year-catlins-fantastic-florist.html