Purple Pansies for Pancreatic Cancer
By Adrienne Mason
agemason@gmail.com
ESTON - For the past 9 years, Pam Kosolofski has been collecting donations in exchange for packs of purple pansies in support of Pancreatic Cancer Canada. Pam lost her beloved husband in 2011 to pancreatic cancer and has been raising funds and awareness of this dreadful disease ever since.
Selling the pansies and collecting the funds is no small feat, but it is one that Pam believes is worth giving time and effort for.
“Each year seems to get bigger and bigger. Last year we raised around $9,000 from selling purple pansies.” Pam remarked how incredible it is to have a group of repeat supporters year after year. As well as a lot of help from other friends and locals to collect donations and deliver and distribute the pansies.
The pansies are seeded and cared for each year at Oyen Greenhouses. Pam picks up the pansies from Oyen when they are ready, and brings them back to Eston and Kindersley and hand delivers the orders. There are also a few loyal supporters in Eatonia and Rosetown that help distribute them in those areas, and a few of Pam’s family members live in Airdrie and Red Deer, AB and help take donations and distribute the pansies there as well. Altogether, pickup, delivery, distribution, and taking the boxes the pansies come in back to Oyen after delivery, takes Pam about 3 days of hard work. Effort that Pam (rightfully) believes is worthwhile.
Delivery started to become a challenge due to the large amount of support the purple pansy fundraiser receives each year. Last year, Owens & Sweitzer -1972 Ltd. (located in Eston), generously lent Pam the use of a trailer to haul the pansies from Oyen to all her delivery locations, and she borrowed a truck to pull it with from a friend. Other help comes from good friends who take up their phones and call past supporters asking if they would like to order again each year. Last year due to COVID restrictions, Pam began accepting e-transfers and she remarked that it worked well and they will continue to offer that as a payment option this year as well.
Last year Pam sold about 2,100 4-packs of purple pansies. She is excited to see how many will be sold this year.
SUBMITTED PHOTOS
Picking up the pansies at the Oyen Greenhouse in 2019.
Selling pansies in Kindersley.