As I drive through Canaan, my mind drifts to the idea of gardening when I get home. "I wish I had some flowers and herbs to plant," I say to myself.As if there is a Botanical Genie eavesdropping on my thoughts, in that moment the wish is granted.
I notice a buzz of activity around a large white tent outside of Pennysavers. The pink and yellow banner hanging from the tent reminds me of the initiative I had seen advertised on a similarly-coloured flyer about two weeks before: "Trade grocery items for plants"–in aid of the Tobago Oasis Foundation.
I stop to investigate the botanical bounty:
Dendrobium & Phalaenopsis Orchids, Roses, Cactai, Herbs, Crown of Thorns, Bird of Paradise, Torena, Periwinkles, Lettuce & Sweet Pepper seedlings, Jasmine Arabian, Lantana, Bromeliad, Thunbergia Vine, Medenilla, Begonia, Kopsia, Peach Plumbago, Rice Ferns, Fan Palm, Wonder of the World.
A friend's mother is examining some potted blooms nearby. I call out to her. She looks up with a surprised, what-a-coincidence look on her face. "I remember you saying some time ago that you wanted flowers," she says, "so I was just buying some for you!"(The Botanical Genie is working quickly at granting my wish).
She points to what she has set aside for me–some small red and purple flowering plants, Jasmine, Jump Up and Kiss Me. We and many others are at the first official event of Flowers4Charity, a non-profit organisation incorporated in May by Dawn Maharaj and comprising of Dawn, her husband, Raj, and her friend, Reina Small.
It was a strong love of plants and gardening that often found Dawn and Reina sneaking away from their respective jobs and meeting at plant shops to support their habit, as it were."I told myself one day: this is crazy!" Dawn says. "I spend so much money on plants for myself. How can I take this plant addiction and turn it into something positive?"
It is as if the Botanical Genie had been listening to her thoughts too and inspired her with the idea of botanical bartering in aid of different charities–to which her fellow plant addict, Reina, said an immediate "Yes!"The watchwords of the fledgling foundation are SHOW. GIVE. GROW. Show you care. Give to others. Grow your own.
Dawn explains further: "We want people to feel that they are not just handing over cash and walking away thinking 'I wonder if they are going to do what they say with my money boy!' We want people to fall in love with gardening the way both Reina and I are addicted! We want to use our love for gardening to positively affect those less fortunate."
"This is a two-day event, but all the plants have sold out on day one," Reina says as they pack up later.Their first event has been a resounding success, with a little over $10,000 worth of groceries going to 20 families living with HIV (through the Tobago Oasis Foundation).In addition to giving thanks for the resounding public response, Dawn and Reina are sure to extend gratitude close to home.
"We want to thank both our husbands for standing behind us. Our next project is to see the Tobago Oasis Foundation get a proper office set up with two meeting/counseling rooms, a 24,000 btu air condition unit, two office desks, chairs, filing cabinets, two computers and printers..."The list goes on beyond the word count of this article.
Those interested in knowing more and helping Flowers4Charity to achieve their charitable goals, please call 354-7568 or 681-8533.