DESIGN-TAINMENT Lisa Greene, AAF, AIFD, PFCI, of Nunan Florist in Georgetown, Ma., made use of myriad flowers, greens and accessories donated to create stunning floral designs before the hundreds of attendees of SAF's Congressional Reception.

New ethics regulations on Capitol Hill, including greater enforcement of gift rules meant that attendees of SAF's annual Congressional Reception, held Feb. 26, didn't leave with armloads of flowers as many have in the past. But the estimated 700 attendees nonetheless left the reception with flowers in hand as well as a new take on the design talent in the industry.

Congressional Action Days floral design chairman Jeff Corbin, AAF, PFCI, AIFD, from Radford City Florist, Inc. in Radford, Va., and his volunteer design team came up with a simple, yet elegant hand-tied bouquet that did not exceed the $10 retail limit imposed in the congressional gift rules. The bouquets were comprised of tulips, roses and other cut flowers, wrapped in tissue and with a ribbon and kept hydrated using Arrive Alive.

Attendees also got a taste of the beauty of the floral industry during the reception, as eight AIFD designers, flanking either side of the massive Cannon Caucus room, created arrangements on the spot (click here to see the designers in action). While the arrangements, whose value easily went above the $10 limit on gifts, could not be given away to congressional attendees, SAF coordinated an effort to give most of them to the local Meals on Wheels organization.

For a complete list of product donors as well as volunteers for Congressional Action Days, click here.

--Kate Penn
kpenn@safnow.org

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