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HELPING INDIANAPOLIS BLOOM
No one could accuse Pamela Leap of having too much time on her hands! She’s a Master Gardener, and her half-acre yard is filled with various gardens which keep her busy, especially during the warmer months. She volunteers for a hunger relief kitchen once a week and also at the Madeline Elder Greenhouse at the Indianapolis Museum of Art. She travels, has lively gatherings gal pals, loves to read, and has recently taken up sewing again.
 And, she is one of the dedicated volunteers right here at RAF Indianapolis. She got involved shortly after our branch opened its doors. After hearing about the mission from a Horticultural Society colleague (oh yeah, she’s involved there, too!), she was “so excited about it that I called to sign up the next week.”
Her excitement stemmed not only from her love of flowers and gardening, but also because she is “a believer in random acts of kindness and paying it forward. Flowers always bring me joy, so I wanted to do my part to make that happen for others. I can’t heal them, but I can help them smile, make their day brighter.”
And, as an RAF volunteer, she knows that the everyone on the team puts their “efforts into that one thing – to make someone smile. If that someone is feeling alone or left out, we let them know they are remembered. If they feel overwhelmed by their particular challenge, we let them know that there are others who wish them well. It helps to be reminded that when we struggle, there are those who want to help. Most of the volunteers at RAF don’t get to meet the folks who receive our lovely bouquets, but I am fortunate to be part of the group who deliver flowers to Riley Hospital for Children and it is so special! The kids are surprised to be given such a grown-up gift, and the parents are always touched and appreciate the gesture.” That extra-special connection with recipients is only one of the things that motivates Pamela to keep coming back to volunteer week after week.
She knows “You can’t leave RAF after refreshing the flowers or making the arrangements in a bad mood – no way! Surrounded by such beauty, the riot of colors, the lively chatter of my fellow volunteers as we work our magic, I always look forward to my time in the workshop.” And, all of us look forward to seeing her, too!
A postscript from Pamela –
If you are reading this newsletter, it means that you also support Random Acts of Flowers, and to that I say – “Well Done, You! Keep spreading the Love!”
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traveled to RAF’s National HQ in Knoxville, TN, at the end of July for a few days of leadership training and a celebration honoring the organization’s 10th birthday!
