At Seniors in Service, we love to show our volunteers how much they’re appreciated. Each year we express our gratitude with celebrations of their remarkable achievements. At our recent appreciation event in St. Petersburg, Mayor Ken Welch surprised our volunteers to personally thank them for all they do. His surprise visit was the highlight of the day!
The mayor’s visit was a hard act to follow, yet we continued with our theme: “Bloom Where You’re Planted.” Volunteers created a “Seniors in Service Flower Garden” reflecting upon how the different components of a flower symbolize various aspects of service. The flowerpot represented the place where each volunteer is rooted to actively serve the community. The stem symbolized the origins of their passion for service. The leaves nourish the plant, so volunteers revealed things that bring them joy and fulfillment, nurturing their spirits so they can effectively serve others. Finally, we observed how the flower itself brings beauty to the community. Volunteers eagerly shared their experiences of creating beauty in the lives of others through their acts of service.
Each volunteer decorated a flower in their unique style, and these beautifully adorned flowers were then proudly displayed on the wall, collectively forming our “Seniors in Service Flower Garden.” We then took time to reflect on the seeds our volunteers are planting throughout their communities.
To all our volunteers, we echo Mayor Welch’s appreciation with our own heartfelt thank you for all that you do.