Staff and volunteers at ARCHES Lethbridge are up to their knees in flowers, flowers, and a few more flowers as they kick off the Spring for Life fundraising campaign.
The AIDS Outreach Community Harm Reduction Education and Support Society (ARCHES) works with people who are living with and affected by HIV, AIDS, and Hepatitis C.
READ MORE: How a Lethbridge program helps addicts by offering clean needles
The thousands of brightly coloured gerbera daisies being sold for the fundraising campaign will brighten the homes and offices of many this week.
“Spring for Life is one of ARCHES’ biggest fundraisers, welcoming spring into the community,” said addictions specialist Kelsey Ronne.
“All of the proceeds and donations go towards ARCHES programming.”
Volunteers have be furiously wrapping the bouquets to raise much needed money, which will directly support the effort to respond and reduce the harm associated with the viruses.
“We’re seeing so many more clients this year — more than ever,” Ronne said. “To be able to provide more programming for them and services is great, and we really appreciate the support from the community.”
Ronne and volunteers started to deliver bouquets across the city Wednesday, including at Senator Buchanan Elementary School.
Students eagerly passed out a bouquet to each teacher in the school to boost the spring spirit.
“I’m really interested in having increased awareness about addictions and the supports that are out there and that’s why I wanted to support ARCHES,” Principal Dawn Ronne said.
“It’s also been a really long winter, and everybody could use a dose of spring.”
READ MORE: Southern Alberta man living with HIV: ‘I figured it was a death sentence’
ARCHES will be taking orders by phone for bouquets until the end of the week, or until their 10,000 daisies are sold.
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