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Stop and Smell the Roses - Cats & Roses Event
-Rod Lauman, Board member
I maintain a large rose garden at my home on Cliff St. in St. Johnsbury which I have opened to the public during June and July each year. After I joined the Board in 2012 we were trying to think of new fundraising ideas. I thought about how to incorporate the rose garden into an event that would be fun and profitable for a fundraiser.
In June of 2013 we did our first Cats & Roses event. I provided guided garden tours or people could just walk around themselves. The first few years we did that and offered food from the grill and a bake sale. We always sold our hats and T shirts. We did a 50/50 raffle and they were fun days for everybody.
In my rose garden I grow roses from all around the world. I have Old Garden Roses, hearty Canadian Roses, Hybrid Tea and Rugosa Roses. All through June and July neighbors and people just walking by can "Stop and Smell the Roses"
In June of 2018 I decided to try adding in a yard sale. My reservations about it were that the sale would disrupt the beauty of the gardens. So we put the sale in the front part of the garden in the largest open space to keep it somewhat out of view. In 2020 due to COVID we put the sale in the driveway instead to make for more distance and space for patrons. This ended up working out so much better for set up and break down, increased space and shopping ease for everybody. It works well because many that come just come for the sale and others come just for the gardens. It does overlap as some will do both. We stopped doing the grilled food due to COVID in 2020 but we will add it back in next year.
I would be unable to do it without all the great help from KAS Volunteers. Nancy Rivet has always been my right hand with these sales. She helps with getting items to the event and stays all day for set up, working at the sale and helping with breakdown and removal of items days later. Many others have helped each year to run the grille, help keep tables neat and tidy, running the checkout as well as baking for the sale. Some volunteers come back year after year to help.
Last year, 2020, was a special year as was this year for this Event. In 2020 we were so grateful to be able to have the event with COVID since it was outdoors. Due to circumstances of the cold weather early in the Spring, the roses were late. So, we ended up having the event on July 4th. We didn't know if having it on the holiday would affect attendance or not. It ended up being a record total and a huge success. Again this year, another record total with people finally being able to get out and about, be around other people and come out to support KAS. The photos show the event through the years. You can see how the garden has changed each year and how the event has grown!
This has become a fun and profitable Event in the KAS calendar each year. I hope that you will be able to come and enjoy it in 2022!
For those of you that have Facebook and are interested in seeing more photos of the rose gardens and the Cats and Roses event from this year and past years please click here
Last year, 2020, was a special year as was this year for this Event. In 2020 we were so grateful to be able to have the event with COVID since it was outdoors. Due to circumstances of the cold weather early in the Spring, the roses were late. So, we ended up having the event on July 4th. We didn't know if having it on the holiday would affect attendance or not. It ended up being a record total and a huge success. Again this year, another record total with people finally being able to get out and about, be around other people and come out to support KAS. The photos show the event through the years. You can see how the garden has changed each year and how the event has grown!
This has become a fun and profitable Event in the KAS calendar each year. I hope that you will be able to come and enjoy it in 2022!
For those of you that have Facebook and are interested in seeing more photos of the rose gardens and the Cats and Roses event from this year and past years please click here
