Recent FFK Classes in NH

[Erlene]

Anne Marshall of Anne's Country Florals in Hudson, NH took the FFK training at one of the two classes offered at NEFE in Connecticut earlier this year. She recently gave her first classes and taught a total of 101 children in two sessions.

Here are pictures and comments from Anne:



Hi Everyone,

Here’s a picture of some of the kids with their “Bouquets” from the first class. My Mom and I had a total of 101 kids on Friday broken into 2 groups. It went really good! Thank you everyone….for all your help. There were 4 teachers and 1 teacher’s aide and they said it was wonderful!!! The kids were great and asked lots of questions. Considering how nervous I was at first; it was really fun and the teachers said the kids were all talking about it in bus line at the end of the day. I hope they do come into the shop to take their quiz! I have another class this Thursday and the teachers want their own class after school at 3:30pm. That’s going to make me very nervous; any advice?

Thursday I have:
1 class of 20 students
1 class of 20 students
1 class of class of 40 students
Then the teachers class after school – I do not know how many yet.

I have another 4 classes in the other Hudson school the first week in June.

I am very pleased, nervous, and excited about doing this…

Thank you,
Anne

 

[Erlene]

Anne's follow up letter after her teacher's class and second day of teaching the kids. Kenny is her sales rep at C+F Floral in Dover, NH. They really stepped up to the plate in a big way to get product to her for her classes:

Dear Ramiro and Kenny,

I had my second day of presentations: four individual 1st grade classes of 20 kids each and an after school program for teachers and teachers aides. I just love this whole program. It is so rewarding being with the kids seeing how much they enjoy it and their enthusiasm. Today I was not as nervous working with the kids, they were younger and I had to adjust the script a bit for their grade level. We used the world map in the class room and discussed where the flowers are grown and how they get to us; it was great!!!!

I was nervous in the beginning with the teachers; it was more difficult to get them to join in and participate. After the initial introduction and the talk about the program: I was less nervous and things went well. Ramiro, I tried to do the class much like you did in Connecticut for us. I printed and read all the information you e-mailed and read the CD.

I explained about how most of the flowers we were using in the “Flowers For Kids” program were provided for us through our wholesaler, C & F Floral in Dover and how he is working with the different S.A. and Californian flower farms that promote and support the “Flowers For Kids” program. I covered the information on the farms workers, pesticides, etc…. They truly were interested in the whole program; I gave them the website to look up more information and to write a blob if possible.

In the presentation I did include how important it was to support your local florist and gave many reasons that tied everything together. From the farms, to the wholesalers to the retail flower shop owners; that we are different than the grocery store and/or flowers being shipped by UPS in boxes rather than from your local florist.

Today two of the four classes from last week gave my stacks of the most awesome “Thank You” cards. I will send them to you to read and enjoy: please mail back when you are done… I will want to keep these and put them up in my shop.

Thank you,
Anne M. Marshall, nhmfd
Anne’s Country Florals, Inc.
212 Lowell Road
Hudson, NH 03051

 

[purplegirl]

Anne, way to go!!! Congratulations on your success with FFK. You won't be nervous for long because you are a professional and it is so easy to talk about what you know and love to do. Best of luck with your other classes.

 

[Rhonda]

Glad that C & F is on this program. Sure wish we could get someone here to help with the costs to do it. It is so worthwhile.

 

[Erlene]

Glad that C & F is on this program. Sure wish we could get someone here to help with the costs to do it. It is so worthwhile.

Most wholesalers will help once they realize the importers in Miami that support the program are willing to ship the flowers to them at no charge if they're a regular customer in good standing. Usually all someone has to pay is the freight, minimal. Freedom Acres will do it. C+F will.

I can speak to Carol at Bennett's if you want me to.

 

[Rhonda]

I do know Chris was interested in the program before the fire...and now that they own it, that may be an option. I haven't bothered them with FFK yet, just cause they donate so much to Maine State and are doing so much to establish themselves.