Floral Parlor brings ‘Petal It Forward’ to Paso Robles seniors
Local flower shop joins national effort to spread kindness and connection
– The Floral Parlor recently participated in the national Petal It Forward initiative on Oct. 15, joining florists across the country in distributing flowers to promote kindness and connection.
The annual event, organized by the Society of American Florists, encourages florists to hand out two bouquets — one for recipients to keep and one to give to another person — to highlight the joy and emotional benefits of flowers.
In previous years, The Floral Parlor brought the initiative to downtown Paso Robles, surprising residents with flowers. This year, the shop brought Petal It Forward to The Oaks at Paso Robles by Westmont Living, a local senior living community, during its weekly Wine Down Wednesday event.
“The Petal It Forward event was truly amazing,” said Ricardo Gonzales, lifestyle director at The Oaks at Paso Robles. “As a lifestyle director, I loved seeing the smiles and joy it brought to our residents. They especially appreciated that a local floral shop went out of their way to bring them flowers and share information about the national Petal It Forward holiday. It was a wonderful experience for everyone involved.”
The Floral Parlor team distributed dozens of bouquets to residents during the event.
“Petal It Forward is one of our favorite annual traditions,” said Sunny Sheldrake, owner of The Floral Parlor. “We love the idea of giving flowers not just to make someone’s day, but to encourage them to share that joy with someone else. Visiting our local seniors this year made it even more meaningful.”
According to the Society of American Florists, research shows that receiving flowers makes people happy, while giving them provides an even greater emotional benefit.
The Floral Parlor is a locally owned flower and gift shop in downtown Paso Robles, offering handcrafted floral designs for delivery and pickup, as well as custom arrangements for weddings, celebrations, and memorials. More information is available at www.thefloralparlor.com.
