Pittsburgh floral shop gives South Side Kids the chance to spread the love
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - The love is getting wrapped up and doused in glitter this Monday for the littlest members of our community because after all, why should only adults get to enjoy Valentine's Day?
We got to tag along with some South Side Kids using fresh roses and some killer art skills to spread the love.
Inside the Red Roses Floral Shop, the newest customers can barely reach the counter, but that certainly doesn't stop them.
"Each year, I buy 125 roses and they're gone, at least 125 or more kids come in and get the kids," said Heather Weir, the floral designer at Red Roses Floral.
Weir is right, it was a steady flow of little hands and little kits, some of them pink, some of them red, all with beautiful roses inside.
"The kids come with stickers, wrapping instructions, craft paper, and some glitter and a rose," Weir said.
It's a beautiful partnership between this small business and South Side Kids, an organization looking to attract and keep young families in the South Side.
"We kind of started on the heels of COVID so the idea was to have a take-home kit for you to do at home with your family," said Claire Pro, the director of South Side Kids. "Now, it's picked up and it's one of our most successful programs in terms of impact and how much everyone loves it."
The glitter and glue spilled out all over tables in a nearby cafe for the third year in a row but director Claire Pro wants nearby families to know there is still time to grab yours.
"We're inviting kids to come to a Valentine's Day part where they can craft the kits together starting on Monday through Friday," she said. "Local families are invited to go to Red Roses Floral on 12th and East Carson Street and get their free rose kits."
For 7-year-old Lorelai Billter, she knows what she's doing and broke down the steps for us.
"First, we went to the flower shop to get a flower and then we came here and did the bouquet," she said. "Then I just started decorating it. At first, it was very difficult, and I had no idea what I was going to do."
That didn't last, though, she quickly found her inspiration, carefully wrapping her pink rose in what she deemed "a perfect triangle." It's a show of love she'll soon deliver to someone special.
"I think I might give it to my pet bunny Bodey," Lorelai said with a smile.
Local kids and parents can swing by Red Roses Flora starting on Monday, February 10 through Valentine's Day between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. If you can't make it to the shop during those hours, you can call the shop for after-hours drop-ins.