Random Acts of Flowers bring smiles to Bay Area patients

TAMPA, Fla. - Random Acts of Flowers brings smiles to hospital patients around the country. In Tampa, they've made some special arrangements to brighten people's days.

They take flowers that were discarded, but still have plenty of life, to hospitals and others who could use a lift in spirits.

"How can you not smile when you have a beautiful bouquet of flowers come into your room?" asked Random Acts of Flowers Executive Director Janette Donogue. "We just light up the room, brightens the day and it just makes everybody happy."

The organization is driven by volunteers like Louise Fisher.

"Sometimes I walk out of rooms and I have tears in my eyes because it makes such a difference in people's lives," explained Fisher.

The group focuses on people who don't have visitors or have been in a facility for a long period of time.

"It's so rewarding to know that you put a smile on a person's face that might not have any visitors in the hospital," volunteer Pat Debiase said.

Their goal is to make sure every hospital patient experiences the joy that a bunch of flowers can bring.

"So many people say to you, 'I never gotten flowers before,'" said Fisher.

In six years, the group has delivered 187,000 bouquets to patients in Bay Area facilities.  

"I also visited the VA and men like flowers also," said Debiase. "They haven't gotten flowers before and they just love to get them."  

Random Acts of Flowers was founded in 2007 by Larsen Jay. For more information about the Bay Area organization, visit www.RAFTampaBay.org.