Poinsettia fans rejoice as the East Ferris Public Library has brought back its annual poinsettia sale. However, the clock is ticking, so be sure to place your order by November 24 or risk a holiday season devoid of stunning crimson leaves.
Or white leaves, or pink leaves, the choice is yours. The library is offering six different options this year, ranging from $7 for a 4.5-inch plant to $32 for the 10-inch poinsettia—the Cadillac of the collection. You can order the plants directly from the library’s website with your credit card. Once the orders are delivered, you can pick them up from the library. Staff are anticipating a pickup date of around December 9.
The poinsettias come direct from Bradford Greenhouses, and the library’s CEO, Jennifer Laporte, raves about them. The greenhouse has been supplying the plants since this initiative began four years ago, and Laporte assures residents “they are absolutely gorgeous.”
Money raised from the sale will go toward library programs, Laporte explained. The East Ferris library is primarily funded by the municipality; however, a portion comes from the province as well, and the rest is raised through various fundraisers.
Laporte noted the library is “a product of its own municipality, so we’re very civic minded, as we’re supported by the ratepayers.” In fact, 75 per cent of the library’s operating budget is provided by the municipality—which is par for the course for all public libraries operating in Ontario.
The province, through the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport, provides additional funding through the Public Library Operating Grant, known as PLOG to those in the library field. The poinsettia sale is a seasonal fundraiser to help add to the coffers, all of which goes to support upcoming library programming.
So, if you’re going to pick up a poinsettia this holiday season, East Ferris, your local library has you covered.
David Briggs is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of BayToday, a publication of Village Media. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
