Good Neigbor Day

Throughout the 11 years of "Good Neighbor Day" Shirley Floral has distributed 220,000 roses. And due to the expenses of this event, Shirley Floral had decided that 2006 would be the last one, until some local businesses decided that they wanted to help continue this day of sharing.

It's been a tradition of Shirley Floral for more than a decade, Good Neighbor Day and in 2006 it was thought to be the last year. But the giving didn't stop there for Joel Paul Shirley and his flower shop.

"Last year I announced that it would be our last Good Neighbor Day and it was our 60th Anniversary we were celebrating and I thought it was a good way to end. We started on our 50th and I told people that the reason that we would end it on our 60th Anniversary, I was going to end it was because of the expense of the event,” Shirley says.

Expenses for the cost of 20,000 roses to be given out to the first 1,667 people to share with their neighbors. So last year, five San Angelo Businesses approached Shirley to continue this tradition.

"These people thought that Good Neighbor Day made such an impact on 20,000 lives that they didn't want to see it stop," Shirley says.

These five local contributors includes, Holiday Cleaners, Johnson's Funeral Home, Kwik Kar Lube and Wash, San Angelo Real Estate and the Waterford Day Spa.

"You know this is a commitment for this year, I don't know if it will happen again next year? Whose to say? But these people did commit to doing it this year,” Shirley says.

And with these businesses sharing their funds to carry on this day will allow for San Angeloans to maintain giving and receiving these flowers of love with each other.

"You witnessed in the past, standing in line and seeing some of the people who come thru who probably wouldn't never get a rose or flower in their lives or never have the opportunity to give flowers in their lives, but these people who get up and come in early and make the effort to share that day,” Shirley says.

If you would to take part in this day on August 14th, make sure you are one of the first 1,667 persons to be at Shirley Floral located at 440 West Beauregard beginning at 6:30 AM.