John Adams of DWF/Omaha shares the company’s involvement in connection with veterans, current military and spouses, our fallen and their families.

Our involvement began in 2002. I was the president of the board of directors of the Nebraska Florist Society and our executive secretary was Mel Schwanke. Mel was a long time florist, past president of SAF and a World War II combat Marine and a Purple Heart recipient. We decided that because we often saw the phrase “in lieu of flowers” on many funeral notices that we would make sure that if a Nebraska or western Iowa Soldier would be killed in action we would contact the hometown florist and in partnership with DWF, the Nebraska Florist Society, and that florist we would make sure there would be a floral tribute for that Fallen Hero and his or her family. We would send 50 red, 50 white roses, some type of blue flower, greenery and gyp with either a wreath or basket, whichever the florist felt comfortable with to each Soldier’s Funeral. Sadly we sent flowers to over 90 services and we continue to do so today if we have an active duty soldier that gives his life while in service to our country. The first soldier to receive this floral tribute was Captain Travis Ford who died 4 April 2003 and the last one to receive our flowers was Lance Corporal Eben Warnke who died 26 March 2016. We have sent these flowers as far away as Arlington National Cemetery when we learned a Nebraska Soldier was being buried there. We have sent flowers to families from the Vietnam War when a soldiers remain were finally ID’d and sent home for burial. The emotion that comes from receiving these flowers stays with the family for years. In talking to these families I have heard 2 things expressed in some form by all of them; first the hope that their son/daughter did not die in vain and second that we as a people and nation will never forget the sacrifice they made.

Through this program we came in contact with other opportunities to use flowers to reach out to veterans, soldiers, and families. We have donated flowers for soldiers that were getting married.  We give roses every year to a retreat called “Women of Warriors”. These are the wives of active duty service men that gather to lend each other support. We became involved with a company called Patriotic Productions. They are in the process of assembling memorials for each state to honor our Fallen. This company also has raised funds for 6 Honor Flights to Washington DC. The last flight was for 500 Vietnam Veterans and with donations from Syndicate Sales, Equiflor, Continental Farms, Royal Flower Imports, Sun Valley Growers, and Golden Flowers we supplied 32 Leis for Gold Star Family members, a red, white, and blue wreath at a preflight banquet, and 600 yellow roses for the Veterans when they returned from the Honor Flight. In DC, Karin’s Florist assembled a wreath of red, white, and blue, and delivered it to The Wall for our Nebraska Veterans to place in memory of all who did not return.

The last endeavor we are involved in is, to me the most special. Honor and Remember is an organization that presents a special personalized flag to the families of the fallen. We came in contact with them through a small article in our local paper 3 years ago. This organization holds a gathering, dinner, walk, and some event for Gold Star Families every year. When we discovered this event, we sent a wreath and 250 red roses, one for each attendee. We found out later that those Gold Star Family members took the roses and during the walk would step out into the public and hand the rose to a stranger and engage that person in a conversation and they would talk about their fallen loved on. The director of the organization tracked us down and we continued to support the group. We held an open house here built around presenting a flag to the family of a fallen soldier. I can attest there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. We used this event as a fundraiser for the Honor and Remember organization and raised $2500.00 towards the purchase of additional flags for other families. We continue to support the gathering, dinner, and walk with the roses and with the help of the Floriculture Class at Metro Tech CC, we also supply centerpieces for the tables at the dinner. The Gold Star Families take them when they leave and I know one of the families takes that centerpiece to the cemetery where their soldier lies and places it on his headstone. The power of reaching out to someone with flowers can not be understated. On one of the walks a mother of a fallen gave her rose to a big man and they embraced and he had tears in his eyes. On Memorial Day this year we were at a ceremony for a Marine Sergeant that went MIA in Vietnam and finally declared KIA. But the family has no closure due to the fact Sgt. Puentes was never found. We presented an Honor and Remember Flag to the family and gave his two brothers 25 red roses to pass out to their family. Again, not a dry eye was to be found.

There is plenty more but when it comes to honoring veterans we can never do enough. I am lucky and blessed that I work for a company that has supported all our efforts to recognize and honor our Veterans, families, and those that have made the ultimate sacrifice. None of our projects would have happened without the support of our corporate staff and in particular, our president Dave Lisowski. Dave was at our open house when we honored that Fallen Soldiers Mother. I am going to cc him on this note and if he wants he can give his impression of the evening.

Thank you for reading this story.  If you have any questions, I am at your service.

Regards,

John M. Adams

For more information, contact:
John Adams
DWF Omaha
Main: (402) 339-5080

A note from John: I know that the Honor and Remember organization has chapters in at least 22 states that people could partner up with. I am the secretary for the Nebraska Chapter so I can furnish members with information about a chapter in their state. Also, if you happen to be in Colorado August 17th the Nebraska Chapter is presenting an Honor and Remember flag to the mother of Staff Sgt. John Doles. DWF is the sponsor of this flag; we are using funds raised at our open house. The presentation will be at the Vietnam Veterans Rally at Cripple Creek and I think some of our corporate people are attending.