CV Garden Club’s Valentine program continues to blossom

In its ninth year, “Blossoms for Barbara” delivered close to 1,200 flowering plants for Valentine’s Day.

The Clayton Valley Garden Club puts on the popular, community-wide event each February, presenting decoratively wrapped flowering plants to those in the care of Hospice, patients in assisted living and convalescent locations, battered women’s shelters, hospitalized veterans and elderly recipients of Meals on Wheels.

Event chair Linda Karp created the program in 2011 to honor the memory of her mother, Barbara Manss.

“I wanted to give a loving and compassionate gesture to the families and patients in the care of Hospice,” said Karp. “With the support of the Clayton Valley Garden Club, local businesses and individuals, the ‘Blossoms for Barbara’ Valentine’s event has flourished.”

The group started out delivering flowering plants to 250 people in Clayton and Concord. “Through the years, the need for our Valentine’s cheer has grown to over 1,300 annually and now stretches into Walnut Creek, Lafayette, Pleasant Hill,  Martinez and the surrounding areas,” Karp reported.

She said the deliveries have touched the hearts of patients, family members, caregivers, nurses, counselors and the volunteers.

“This event means so much to so many, which is evident from the thank you cards and letters that the Clayton Valley Garden Club receives each year after deliveries are finished.”

For more about the Clayton Valley Garden Club, go to claytonvalleygardenclub.org 

For information on Meals on Wheels, go to www.mowdiabloregion.org. For information on STAND! for Families Free of Violence, go to www.standffov.org. For information on Sutter Care Hospice, go to www.sutterhealth.org