Thousands of flowers are ready for the picking at Flowers by Dave located at 1101 N. Main St. in Benton in honor of FTD Good Neighbor Day.

The 12th annual event, being held Wednesday, Sept. 3, begins at 8 a.m., according to Dave Webster.“Residents will have a unique opportunity to meet each other and develop new friendships, when sponsors and I will give away bunches of flowers to anyone who visits the flower shop,” Webster said.

“The list of sponsors for this year’s flower give-away includes SCD Rea and Sons Insurance, Morton and Johnston Funeral Home, Taylor Motor Auto Credit, S&S Mufflers, Four Seasons Ace Hardware, Kimmel Chaplain Pharmacy, Jacoby Family Chiropractic and Acupuncture, State Bank of Whittington, Pizza Shack, Mr. D’s Drive-in, Personal Finance, Benton Pawn Shop. Benton-West City Area Chamber of Commerce, Jamerson Auto and Quick Lube, Benton Evening News, WQRL Radio, Benton Kiwanis Club and Benton Kiwanis Club Foundation.”
Webster said there is a catch. “My brother, Charles, and I hope the good will is catching,” he said.

“We ask people who will be picking up bunches of flowers to keep one of the flowers and give the others away to 11 people to renew friendships and get acquainted with others.

“We want every visitor to join our Flowers for Food Campaign,” Webster said. “We urge residents to bring canned and non-perishable food to Flowers by Dave as they pick up their bouquets. We collected 1,500 cans of food last year. We hope to get that much again this year. Food supplies at the Benton-West City Ministerial Alliance food pantry are extremely low. I am a member of the Benton Kiwanis Club. We took boxes of food to the food pantry last week and were surprised at the number of empty shelves.” Webster said cash donations could also be made to help the food pantry.

“Good Neighbor Day is being celebrated throughout the United States and Canada as a day of good will to all people,” he said. “The day celebrates the power of a flower to help forge new friendships and promote neighborliness. We expect millions of flowers will be given away throughout the nation.”

Webster said FTD member Brook Jacobs, of Greenbrook Florists in Jackson, Miss, started the event in 1994.