Tremendous community support from shoppers, growers, and volunteers made the 24th Annual Fayette Cares Plant Sale in Oakland, TN a blooming success.
Caring, generous, and talented Fayette Cares volunteers organized the event, which grows year after year. Several Fayette Cares clients and their children joined the volunteer team. “It felt so good to help out, meet people and be of service,” said one client who was grateful for the opportunity to give back to the agency that has provided her family with food, shelter, and safety from domestic violence.
Fayette County Master Gardeners were among the volunteers who provided expert advice and service to shoppers. Les Shockey, a member of the Master Gardeners, even initiated a new Coloring Contest, which generated excitement among budding artists. Winners of the contest included: Group 1 (Ages 2-5): First Place Maddison Thornton age 4, Second Place Chandler German age 5, Third Place Jace Roebuck age 5, Group 2 (Ages 6-10): First Place Ainsley Greenfield age 8, Second Place Lyric White age 10, Third Place Kayleigh McCabe age 10, Group 3 (Ages 11-15): First Place Delaney Collins age 12, Second Place Skylar Gentry age 13, Third Place Madisen Clay age 13.
The Homegrown area was the most profitable part of the sale, with over 1,000 plants donated from private gardens. Each year these plants generate 100% proceeds and connect neighbors and friends by creating “friendship gardens” in the process.
Strong support was seen from event vendors who came from Brownsville, Somerville, Oakland, Bartlett and Memphis. Vendors who contributed a portion of proceeds in support of Fayette Cares included Backermann’s Bakery, Country Gardens Nursery, Kindred Spirit Style, Lucerne Farms, The Plant Place, Roger Nash – Handcrafted Birdhouses, and Willow Oaks Flower Farm.
Early projections indicate that a new overall sales record was made, thanks to a community that plants seeds of caring. More important than sales figures is the fact that supporters of Fayette Cares help hundreds of neighbors in need. The person you may pass in the grocery store or see walking down the street on any given day may be one of many who are on their way to self-sufficiency and independence because of community generosity and caring.
To learn how Fayette Cares provides shelter for the homeless, safety from domestic violence, and stability for families in financial crisis, visit www.fayettecares.org or call (901) 465-3802 x 221. Fayette Cares is a United Way agency.
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