The Red Cross offers these guidelines for preparing cards:
Use generic salutations: “Dear Service Member” or “Dear Veteran”
Be thoughtful with messages, expressing reasons why you are thankful for the service members/veterans; if you have a personal connection, such as a family member who served, consider adding that
Try not to be overtly religious, but messages such as “Merry Christmas” or “God Bless You” are acceptable
Do not include inserts such as glitter, photos, business cards
Do not include personal information such as telephone number, address or email
Sign your name
The American Red Cross prevents and alleviates human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors.
After growing African violets on the windowsill of her Lebanon home, Hannah “Mom” Royer founded Royer’s Flowers in 1937 with her husband, Lester.
“Mom” Royer and “Granny” Forney lived in different centuries, but their inspiring stories of business success have converged in the new “Women’s History of Lebanon County” exhibit at the Lebanon County Historical Society.
They are among 41 women honored individually in the exhibit, which runs from October through March.
Hannah “Mom” Royer, a native of Myerstown, founded our company with her husband, Lester, in 1937. The exhibit notes that Mom started selling African violets grown on the windowsill of her Lebanon home during the Depression.
The plants helped turn the Royers’ summer produce business into a year-round enterprise and, ultimately, one of the most successful flower retailers in the United States.
Royer’s contributed a silk floral arrangement and a yard stick bearing the name South Side Flower Shop, as the original store was known, to Mom’s part of the exhibit.
Hannah Royer’s tribute shares a shelf in a glass case with that of Forney, who as a divorced mother in the 1800s supported her family working for her neighbors by day and, at night, making cake and beer to sell. Her Annville shop, according to the exhibit, “became a community center where people met to talk and young couples courted.”
The idea for the exhibit – comprising two rooms of a converted house dating to 1786 – originated with the Lebanon County Commission for Women. The commission presented the historical society with a long list of names for consideration.
‘In the discussion early on’
Shane Keenan, the historical society’s archivist, worked with board of trustees members Sherie Strohman and Barbara Gaffney to compile the final list.
Mom Royer, Keenan said, “was definitely in the discussion early on. I think as soon as we determined that we were going to have a section on business and workplace, her name came up, I think right away.”
Other women featured in the exhibit come from the areas of sports, arts, medicine, politics, education, military, philanthropy.
One of the intents of the exhibit is to offer a glimpse into how local women participated in national events, including the battle over women’s suffrage, or the right for women to vote.
Doris Long came to the county from New York, to teach English at Lebanon Valley College. As president of the local chapter of the Pennsylvania Woman Suffrage Association, Long spoke at an event in 1915 when a statewide tour of the Women’s Liberty Bell stopped in Lebanon.
A replica of the Liberty Bell minus the crack, the Women’s Liberty Bell didn’t ring (a chain kept its clapper from moving) until ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920.
Long is featured in the exhibit along with one of her local foes, Deborah Norris Coleman Brock, who was president of the Pennsylvania Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage. Brock was born into the Coleman family iron dynasty and used her wealth for philanthropic endeavors, including helping to start Good Samaritan Hospital.
The historical society recognizes that the exhibit reflects only a portion of the contributions made by women to the county’s development. Cards will be provided for visitors to suggest other women who should be recognized.
The “Women’s History of Lebanon County” exhibit runs through March, which is Women’s History Month, at the Lebanon County Historical Society, 924 Cumberland St., Lebanon.
Admission to the women’s exhibit is free. The historical society is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
Rosie’s design will adorn the birthday card that all members receive in the coming year. The third-grader likes crafting, koalas, dinosaurs and the color pink.
Everything’s coming up Rosie in the outcome of Royer’s Flowers & Gifts’ annual kids club birthday card design contest.
Rosie Witherup, whose favorite flower is, you may have guessed, a rose, is this year’s winner. Rosie just turned 8 and is entering third grade.
Her colorful design, featuring flowers, hearts and stars, will adorn the electronic card that kids club members will receive in the coming year. Her prize is a flower delivery.
Rosie is the daughter of Kirsten and Philip Witherup of West Manchester Township, York County. She has a sister and a brother.
Kirsten Witherup explained that Rosie loves crafting.
“As part of that, she thought it would be a really fun activity” to enter the card contest,” Kirsten said. Rosie also likes koalas, dinosaurs and the color pink.
The Royer’s Kids Club is free for children ages 5 to 12. Parents may register their children at any Royer’s store or at royers.com/kidsclub. Kids club benefits also include a membership card, online activities and a quarterly e-mail newsletter.
From left, Sharon Cash, donation coordinator; Jean Ussery, resident support and recovery coordinator; and Tymia Green, executive director, Shalom House, with Josh Hemmann of Royer’s Flowers & Gifts.
Mary Quinn, president and CEO, YWCA Greater Harrisburg, which manages Dress for Success, and Josh Hemmann, director of marketing and e-commerce, Royer’s Flowers & Gifts.
Members of Girls Who Code Central PA flanked by Josh Hemmann of Royer’s Flowers and Lin Taylor, Girls Who Code advisor.
Royer’s Flowers & Gifts has announced a new round of charitable donations totaling more than $11,000 to four mid-state nonprofits.
The recipients and their awards:
Girls Who Code Central PA, with clubs in Harrisburg and Hershey, $1,350;
Shalom House, a shelter for women and children in Harrisburg, $2,000;
“We’re grateful for our loyal customers whose support makes it possible for us to give back to these incredible organizations that work every day to improve lives in our communities,” said Tom Royer, president and CEO of Royer’s Flowers.
From left, David Carl, senior development manager, Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, and Josh Hemmann, director of marketing and e-commerce, Royer’s Flowers & Gifts.
Royer’s Flowers & Gifts has donated $5,000 to the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, enough to provide approximately 20,000 meals to people in need.
“As a company, we’ve enjoyed the gift of loyal support from our customers for more than 85 years,” said Tom Royer, CEO of Lebanon-based Royer’s. “It’s important to us to return that generosity to organizations such as the food bank that are providing such a valuable service to our communities.”
Royer’s operates 16 stores in Adams, Berks, Dauphin, Cumberland, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon and York counties.
“This generous gift from Royer’s Flowers & Gifts will help us meet our mission and provide healthy meals for our neighbors in need,” said Joe Arthur, CEO of the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank.
“This is especially true right now, when so many face tough choices between paying rent, gas and medical bills or buying food,” Arthur said, noting that as 2023 draws to a close, the food bank is serving its 27-county service territory at higher levels than at the peak of the pandemic.
Josh Hemmann, Royer’s Flowers director of marketing and e-commerce, and Laura Burke, executive director of the American Red Cross’ central Pennsylvania chapter.
Royer’s Flowers & Gifts has presented 2,300 holiday cards and coloring pages to the American Red Cross for distribution to area service members and veterans.
Royer’s collected the cards and coloring pages from the public in each of its stores from Oct. 16 through Nov. 14, continuing a decade-long affiliation with the Red Cross “Holidays for Heroes” program.
Royer’s Flowers & Gifts will give away red, white and blue bouquets to military veterans on Nov. 11, Veterans Day.
The bouquets – featuring a red carnation, a white carnation and a blue bow – will be available in-store only at each of Royer’s 16 locations in Berks, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Lancaster, Lebanon and York counties.
“This is one of our favorite events each year,” said Tom Royer, president and CEO of family-owned Royer’s. “It is our honor and privilege to recognize the men and women who give so much to protect our freedom.”
Non-veterans may purchase the bouquets for $2.20 each.
Children of an earlier time did the monster mash. The Royer’s Flowers & Gifts Kids Club has an updated take on Halloween: spooky succulents.
The kids club is celebrating the season with its first virtual event, offering free take-home kits that will allow children ages 5 to 12 to decorate a Halloween tin with a succulent plant.
Kits include a tin decorated with a jack-o-lantern, mummy or Dracula; two-inch succulent; cellophane for lining the tin; instruction sheet with QR code linking to a video with assembly and plant-care tips; and a Halloween coloring sheet.
Kits must be reserved at royers.com/kidsclub while supplies last, limit three per family. In-store pickup of the kits will be available Oct. 19-24.
Royer’s is encouraging moms and dads to send photos of their child’s completed project to kidsclub@royers.com for sharing on social media.
Royer’s Flowers & Gifts will continue an annual tradition by collecting holiday cards and coloring pages for service members and veterans from Oct. 16 through Nov. 14.
Royer’s has partnered with the American Red Cross “Holidays for Heroes” program for more than a decade.
The Red Cross offers these guidelines for preparing cards:
Use generic salutations: “Dear Service Member” or “Dear Veteran”
Be thoughtful with messages, expressing reasons why you are thankful for the service members/veterans; if you have a personal connection, such as a family member who served, consider adding that
Try not to be overtly religious, but messages such as “Merry Christmas” or “God Bless You” are acceptable
Do not include inserts such as glitter, photos, business cards
Do not include personal information such as telephone number, address or email
Sign your name
The American Red Cross prevents and alleviates human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors.
If hot summer weather doesn’t make you yearn for fall, then Royer’s Flowers & Gifts’ annual name-the-arrangement contest surely will.
The new all-around arrangement features an autumnal color palette: lavender glass vase, orange rose and orange carnations, purple statice, red alstroemeria, sunflower. It measures 14 inches high and 11 inches wide.
The arrangement has a product number, but Royer’s is asking for help with a name.
One winner and one runner-up will be selected from entries received by Royer’s and its sister company in Columbus, Ohio. Both the winner and runner-up will receive the arrangement (retail value $34.99) as their prize.
The arrangement will debut this fall and will be available in all stores and as part of Royer’s direct-ship program serving the Lower 48 states.
To view the arrangement and enter the contest, visit royers.com/contest. Limit one entry daily per email address, through Aug. 5.
