Paul Ondulich is hopelessly devoted to Olivia Newton-John.
The Trafford, Pa., resident has seen the “Grease” star in concert nine times, first in Pittsburgh for 1982’s “Physical” tour, and most recently on July 24, 2016 at the American Music Theatre in Lancaster. All but one time he sat in the front row.
At each show, he gives Newton-John flowers. She has repaid the favor, holding his hand at many of the shows, he said, and singing to him several times. He shared a clipping from the Buffalo News, showing a photo of him and Newton-John from a 2006 show at a casino in Niagara Falls, Ont.
“I don’t know,” Ondulich said when asked to explain his good fortune, “I’m just lucky, I guess.”
A web developer by day, operator of a Pittsburgh Pirates fan website in his spare time, Ondulich called in his flower order to our Lancaster West store two weeks before the July show. The flowers for Newton-John included 10 white stargazer lilies, 20 dendrobium orchids, and orange roses.
He said he presented them to Newton-John approximately 15 minutes into the concert; of course, she had him come up on stage. She placed the flowers on the piano for the rest of the show and told the audience how beautiful and sweet-smelling they were.
Joining Ondulich at the concert was his wife, Joanne, who seems to be OK with her husband’s fondness for the singer.
“She’s known I’m a fan and I love Olivia,” he said.
Besides, Ondulich also ordered one-dozen long-stem red roses for Joanne.
Category: News
Thanks to your ‘Power of Pink’ purchases, Royer’s donates $3,090 to Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition
Royer’s has donated $3,090 to the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition.
The donation will support breast cancer survivors and their families and breast cancer research in Pennsylvania.
With every sale of its “Power of Pink” arrangement, Royer’s donates $10 to breast cancer organizations. The arrangement is available year-round.
Based in Lebanon, the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition (pabreastcancer.org) represents, supports and serves breast cancer survivors and their families in Pennsylvania through educational programming, legislative advocacy and breast cancer research grants.
A letter to our Palmyra store customers
The final day of operation for Royer’s Palmyra store will be June 30. Greg Royer, president and CEO of Royer’s, explained the closing in a letter being sent to the store’s customers:
After months of negotiations, Royer’s was unable to agree on new lease terms with the owners of the Palmyra Shopping Center. Unfortunately, the result is we will close the Palmyra store effective July 31.
The good news is we have two nearby stores, each one offering the great products and personalized customer service you’ve come to expect.
We truly value your business and hope you will visit us in Hershey, 304 W. Chocolate Ave. (or by phone at 534-2834), or Lebanon, 810 S. 12th St. (273-2683).
Our Palmyra staff will be reassigned to the Hershey store, which will answer calls placed to the Palmyra phone number and will continue to deliver twice daily to Palmyra. If you live on the east side of Palmyra, our original store in Lebanon may be more convenient for you.
Of course, you can reach us any time at royers.com.
Thank you for your understanding and for the continued opportunity to serve you.
Sincerely,
Gregory J. Royer
Chara Harter of Lititz wins 2016 Royer’s Kids Club birthday card design contest
Chara Harter, 10, plays the piano, reads mysteries and historical fiction, and likes to draw.
In fact, she’s an award-winning artist.
Her drawing of flowers is the winning entry in the 2016 edition of the Royer’s Kids Club birthday card design contest.
Her design will be featured on the electronic card that kids club members will receive on their birthdays in the coming year. Chara’s prize is a free flower delivery on her next birthday.
Chara lives in Lititz with her parents, Carl and Ellen Harter. She will be a fifth-grader at Ephrata Mennonite.
Thanks to everyone who entered this year’s contest.
The Royer’s Kids Club is free to ages 5 to 12. With parental permission, children may register for the kids club at any Royer’s store or online at www.royers.com/kidsclub.
Membership benefits include a membership card, Web site activities, an e-mail newsletter, contests and in-store events.
We’re coming to Chambersburg
Royer’s is expanding to Chambersburg this fall, which will allow us to extend deliveries into the Hagerstown, Md., area.
Construction has begun on the 4,000-square-foot store on a half-acre at 7 St. Paul Drive, Chambersburg, with a planned September opening.
Chambersburg represents both the farthest west and south that we will have operated from our Lebanon County base. It will be our first store in Franklin County.
“We’ve been looking for our next new growth area for a long time,” said Greg Royer, president and CEO of Royer’s. “Chambersburg is a great market in its own right and gives us a terrific jumping-off point as we begin our move into northern Maryland.”
Royer’s Kids Club birthday card design contest entries due by June 30
Light the candles. Royer’s annual birthday card design contest is back.
Children ages 5 to 12 may enter the contest at any time through June 30.
The winning design will adorn the Royer’s Kids Club birthday card, which will be emailed to all kids club members on their special days.
The winning artist will receive free flowers on his or her birthday.
Entry forms are available at all Royer’s stores or downloaded at royers.com/kidsclub. To be eligible, entries must be dropped off at a Royer’s store by June 30.
Previewing prom season on Fox 43
Erica Bixby, our store manager in Hershey, brought along a prom primer for her latest appearance on Fox 43 Morning News.
Joining Melanie Orlins of Fox 43, Erica said “bling is in” for this prom season.
Erica shared an array of bracelet options to which a corsage can be attached.
“These are great keepsakes,” Erica said of the bracelets. She suggested rhinestones and ribbons as nice complements to the bracelets.
As for flowers, orchids and roses are traditional favorites; this year, succulents are popular.
“It’s always best to complement” when it comes to flower colors for corsages and boutonnieres, Erica said. “Sometimes people will get held up trying to match exactly. It always looks nice when you have a contrast or a little bit of color against the dress. And it makes the pictures look really nice, too.”
You can view the segment here:
Royer’s Kids Club announces 2016 schedule of free events
Royer’s Kids Club is returning with five free events in 2016, giving children ages 5 through 12 the opportunity to make floral projects and play an important role in our biggest charitable events.
Kids club events always take place on Saturdays in all of our stores, with time slots available at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
This year’s schedule and themes:
Jan. 23: Valentine’s Day
March 12: Easter
June 18: Royer’s Stems Hunger food drive
Aug. 20: Back to school
Oct. 29: Bouquets for Books children’s book drive/Halloween
The best way to stay connected with kids club activities is to become a registered member. It’s free and takes only a few minutes to complete the process.
You can start by clicking here.
We look forward to another fun, fulfilling year of activities!
‘One Tank Trip’ takes 69 News viewers behind the scenes to show how Royer’s prepares for the holidays
What was an Allentown-based TV news station that has a Berks County edition doing at Royer’s corporate complex in Lebanon?
Seeing how merry is made, that’s what.
WFMZ-TV’s 69 News sent reporter Karin Mallett and photographer Patrick Manwiller to Royer’s as part of the station’s weekly “One Tank Trip” series.
Royer’s has three Berks County stores, in Reading, Shillington and Wernersville.
Tom Royer, one of Royer’s third-generation family owners, showed his guests the Lebanon operations, which include the company’s flagship store, distribution center, greenhouses, and central design department.
“Like Santa’s workshop,” Mallett said in her story’s introduction, describing central design, “but in lieu of toys, flowers. Lots of them. About 20,000 poinsettias will go out for the holiday.”
You can view the story here:
Lebanon’s Neuin wins our latest name-the-arrangement contest
Jennifer Neuin’s entry was one of 675 submitted in Royer’s latest name-the-arrangement contest.
But it ranked first overall when the judging was complete.
Neuin, of Lebanon, won the contest with her submission of “White Satin” as the moniker for our new European-style arrangement. It comes in a clear glass cube and features three types of greens and white flowers: one-dozen roses plus alstroemeria, hydrangea, veronica and stock.
Neuin will receive one of the arrangements after it debuts on Dec. 5.
A similar contest during the summer generated more than 450 entries.