[dropcap]A[/dropcap]s the Black Friday for the floral industry approaches, Valentine’s Day is typically filled with roses and other flowers arrangements. Classes in the Columbia Area Career Center (CACC) including Horticulture and Plant and Floral Design have been preparing for a flower sale in  hopes of making a profit that will help the self-funded program.
“The money goes towards our class,” junior Macy Knorr said.  “[Then] throughout the year we can continue to make arrangements for our curriculum.”
The students creating the arrangements work with a variety of flowers.  Roses and carnations, as well as potted spring bulbs grown in the CACC greenhouses, will be sold.
“Students in the Advanced Horticulture class planned the flyer, inventoried supplies on hand and determined what needed to be ordered, worked with office staff, made posters, hung flyers, made work schedule, worked the table at RBHS and many other small task[s] to prepare for the sale,”  Plant and Floral Design teacher Sherie Rodekohr said.  “Students from all Floral Design classes helped take orders. [They] will also transport the flowers to RBHS and CACC for delivery.”
The sale will take place Feb. 13 and 14 and run from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.  Rodekohr said students receiving flowers at RBHS will get a reminder to pick them up in the main commons.   
With all the pre-planning, students can only hope they will receive an abundance of orders.  In preparation they have also been advertising the event in hopes for a good turnout.
“A flyer was sent to all staff in [Columbia Public Schools] as well as a community list of 500 customers who support the horticulture plant sales throughout the year,” Rodekohr said.  “We work closely with the CACC Culinary Arts program as well to give a wider customer base.”
Though millions of flower sales during the Valentine’s day week calls for precise planning, senior Gretchen Cone feels that previous sales have trained her well.
“In preparation we learned how to make all the arrangements we were selling. We also worked to spread the word,” senior Gretchen Cone said.  “We had already had quite a bit of experience from our Christmas sale.”
Not only does the profit from the sale help the CACC, but students like Cone are particularly eager for the event.
[quote]“I’m especially excited to hand out the flowers,” Cone said.  “I just want to see the joy on people’s faces when they receive their flowers.”[/quote] Students and teachers helping out with the multitude of preparations are looking forward to a good sale.  But they also want buyers to understand the work that goes into it.
“Our goal is to give students a glimpse of the intense amount of work that goes into filling a high quantity of customer orders in a short period of time,” Rodekohr said.  “In order for a florist to have a successful Valentine’s Day, a precisely choreographed plan needs to be followed. [Then] high quality flowers can be delivered to many customers on one day.”
Will you be purchasing any flowers? Let us know in the comments below.