“As the first flower of spring, the daffodil is a symbol of hope.” — American Cancer Society.
“Hope for a cure,” said Tonyehn Verkitus, community income development specialist with the American Cancer Society in Wayne County. This year marks the American Cancer Society’s 37th Annual Daffodil Days, raising “much needed funds to support the Society’s mission of saving lives and creating a world with less cancer and more birthdays.”
Dozens of local volunteers gathered Tuesday at the Lemnitzer Armory in Honesdale to help sort the fresh-cut flowers.
Wayne County Daffodil Days Co-Chair Mary Hessling has been helping for the past 15 years. “It’s a joyful time. The color yellow just brightens” one’s day, she said of the golden blooms.
For Hessling, the fight against cancer and quest for a cure is personal. “My father was diagnosed with cancer and my husband’s uncle. Cancer has invaded my family ...Life today, cancer is just so prominent,” she said.
Hessling, herself, is a skin cancer survivor, having undergone surgery for melanoma seven years ago. Now cancer-free, Hessling said, “What you need is your support around you: family, friends, and everybody; it means so much ...It’s not always a fatal disease. There’s a lot of cures out there. It doesn’t always mean that it’s a death sentence. There are survivors. And that’s what we’re hear for — survivors.”
Monies raised fund local services and ongoing research, with 80 percent of the funds remaining local.
“With every dollar that we raise, we support our community with our services,” says Verkitus. Donations help fund some of the following local programs: Look Good Feel Better for women, Man to Man support group for men undergoing treatment, and Road to Recovery-offering rides to treatment or gas cards.
Last year’s Wayne County Daffodil Days raised about $23,000, Verkitus said. This year’s goal? “If we could get to $30 thousand, that would be great, but $25 would make us happy,” she said.
“Last year, we increased our sales’ income by 18 percent, which is pretty exciting given the economic year we had ...So, if we could do the same this year, we’d be greatly pleased,” said Verkitus.
Donations
A bunch of 10 fresh-cut daffodils is available for a donation of $10, a pot of mini-daffodils is available for a donation of $12, a special edition vase of hope and bunch of daffodils is $15, and a stuffed bear and a bunch is $25.
