Hospice Southeastern Connecticut Honors Florists and Rose Program Volunteers

Photo: Back Row (L-R): Suzanne Lozado (volunteer), Peg Rankowitz, Michael Rankowitz (McKenna’s Flowers), Betty Beaudette (volunteer)

Front Row (L-R): Ann Carignan (volunteer), Zita Smith (volunteer), Joanne LaFrancoise (LaFrancoise Floral), Denise Hawk (Hospice Southeastern Connecticut)

Norwich, CT (March 9, 2010) – Hospice Southeastern Connecticut recently honored the florists and volunteers who participate in the Rose Program with a wine and cheese reception.  Sixteen florists in southeastern Connecticut donate roses as an outreach to the community.  These roses are delivered by a trained volunteer to the family of patients who have died on the Hospice Southeastern Connecticut program.  Nursing staff who have cared for Hospice Southeastern Connecticut patients at skilled nursing facilities also receive a rose.

This delivery is one of the first steps in bereavement services which are available from Hospice Southeastern Connecticut for up to 13 months for spouses, parents and children of those patients in our care.  Bereavement services are available to the community at large as well.  

Participating florists are: An Enchanted Florist (Colchester), Anderson’s Garden (Niantic), Cynthia’s Flower Shoppe (Mystic), Fisher Florist (New London), Forever Flowers and Gifts (Norwich), Harts Farm Greenhouse and Florist (Norwich), Hoelck’s Florist (Waterford), Holdridge Florist (Ledyard), Jewett City Florist and Greenhouses (Griswold), LaFrancoise Floral (Norwich), McKenna’s Flowers and Plants (Norwich), Montville Florist (Uncasville), Pot of Green Florist (Pawcatuck), Simply Flowers (Salem), Tommy’s Flowers (Groton), and Wild Irish Rose (Old Lyme).

About Hospice Southeastern Connecticut

Hospice Southeastern Connecticut provides care in the home and often in skilled nursing facilities for those facing the end of their life, regardless of age, disease or inability to pay.  The organization also provides bereavement services for families in New London County free of charge, regardless of whether the death occurred under hospice care or not.

Hospice Southeastern Connecticut is a community-based, non-profit healthcare organization in New London County.  It is the only regional hospice affiliated with both Lawrence & Memorial Hospital and The William W. Backus Hospital.  It is Medicare/Medicaid certified, state licensed and CHAP accredited.  Hospice Southeastern Connecticut has been the hospice of choice for over 7,500 families since 1985.