It's one of the most endearing fundraisers around, Rotary Rose Day has been a regular event in North Bay for over 50 years.
The Rotary Rose Day Committee organizes this annual four-day event that typically takes place during the third weekend of June.
The roses originally arrived in North Bay on the train.
"Rotarians initially met at Memorial Gardens and re-packed the roses and carnations into dozens before delivering them on a Saturday," Rotarian Barry Pond told BayToday. "Well over one million roses and carnations (100,000+ DOZEN!) have been purchased for Rotary Rose Day in North Bay."
While the effort was originally aimed at individual sales, Rotary now delivers almost half the rose /carnations to offices as pre-sold Corporate Bulk Orders on the Friday before individual residential delivery on Saturday. (email [email protected] if you want a Bulk Order delivered next year)
Still, several hundred dozen roses are sold to the public as walk-in "cash and carry" at Jackman's, 157 Worthington St. East from Friday, June 14 through Monday, June 17 (including Sunday!)
For more than 25 years, local Rotarians have staffed Jackman's, which became the hub of Rotary Rose Day activity.
At $25 /dozen including taxes and delivery, buyers get a great deal while helping Rotary's charitable works.
Some of those things locally include:
- Children's Splash Pad and Canada Day Waterfront activity,
- Families First support on New Years Eve,
- YMCA Strong Kids and Rotary Camp Tillicum,
- Catch the ACE of SPADES raffle creates funding towards Serenity House Hospice, support for NADY and Rotary Children's Committee donations,
- Rotary Therapeutic Pool at the YMCA
Internationally funds go to eradicating polio through Rotary's Polio Plus Campaign, Guatemala Literacy Project, Cape of Good Hope South Africa Water Project, Shelter Box donations at world disaster sites.
It's still possible to get your roses by visiting Jackman's this Friday through Monday during normal business hours.
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