For the past three decades Renato’s Florist owner Sam Renato and GV Health Foundation director Carmel Johnson have had the annual Daffodil Day appeal marked on their calendars for months in advance.
“Sam would literally order thousands of daffodils in,” Ms Johnson said.
“We would have them all lined up in bunches and sell them at GV Health and various other places to raise money for both the Cancer Council and GV Health,” she said.
But due to COVID-19 restrictions the appeal this year is looking very different, with the majority of fundraising going online.
Mr Renato became involved in the much loved and supported community initiative when the local Cancer Council Committee approached him wanting to buy daffodils.
“They wanted to buy 40 bunches, so I said don’t worry about buying them – we will just give them to you,” Mr Renato said.
“Then the following year they wanted more and again I said not to worry about buying them.
“Then over the years it just got bigger and bigger and we had around 10,000 daffodils one year.
“But we kept giving them away, because it became one of the things we supported in the community,” he said.
Ms Johnson said locals got further behind the cause when the decision was made to donate a percentage of the funds to GV Health's oncology ward.
“There were a number of drivers of the cause like Vic and Shirley Earl who used to run around and distribute the daffodils to all our beautiful volunteers,” Ms Johnson said.
“For a couple of years in a row we topped the state as the highest sellers,” she said.
But as Mr Renato said, that “can just not happen this year”.
“I have ordered a few dozen bunches for people to come into the shop and buy,” Mr Renato said.
“But nowhere near what I would normally order and this will be the only place people will be able to buy the bunches,” he said.
The Cancer Council is also encouraging Greater Shepparton locals wanting to support the cause to donate a daffodil online.
Ms Johnson encouraged the community to get behind the cause and spread the symbol of hope.
“Over the years we heard some pretty emotional stories from survivors and other people impacted by cancer,” Ms Johnson said.
“We would hope, whilst we don’t have the thousands of daffodils we have had in the past, people can still support Sam by popping in and purchasing a bunch of daffodils or if they are unable to do that, support the Cancer Council Appeal online,” she said.
Renato's Florist is open today from 9 am to 5.30 pm, or for more information visit www.cancervic.org.au
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