Pops of color fill the greenhouse of the Acorn and Evergreen Floral Studio as Kent Lions Club members package carnations for their annual flower fundraiser.

Long white boxes stamped with the Kent Lions Club logo hold a half-dozen carnations ready for delivery this week throughout Kent and across Portage County. Each flower is packaged by members of the Kent Lions Club and volunteers from Kent State’s Delta Gamma Sorority, who share a mission of service for sight.

Expecting a busy week, Kent Lions Club President Steve Hardesty says they plan to deliver a thousand dozen carnations.

“I think one of the biggest, most important things we do doesn’t involve any money. It involves service,” said one Lions Club member. “We screen all the kids in Kent City Schools for glasses and eye needs. But we do a lot of service projects.”

The Lions Club’s timely Carnation Days is an opportunity to purchase flowers to support local services for the visually impaired. But it’s also just in time for Sweetest Day on Saturday, Oct. 18.

Deliveries begin Thursday to local businesses, and on Friday and Saturday, Lions members offer free local deliveries to the public within a designated range. A dozen carnations is $18, with all proceeds going toward the Kent Lions Club Community Projects.

KSTV’s Sydney Brown has the full story.

Sydney Brown is a Kent Stater TV Reporter. Contact her at [email protected].