COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — At first glance, the Valley Rescue Mission’s annual fall flower sale looks like any other seasonal fundraiser, rows of colorful mums, handmade planters, and friendly faces ready to help customers load their cars. But for the men behind those flowers, the sale represents something much deeper: a journey of redemption and recovery.
The blooms are cultivated year-round through the Mission’s Horticulture Program, part of the Crossroads Recovery Program for men battling addiction. The initiative combines work therapy with scripture-based lessons. This gives participants structure, skill-building, and helps to build a sustained sense of purpose.
“Twice a year we have flower sales where our guys are growing flowers in our greenhouses,” said Mike Gaymon, CEO of Valley Rescue Mission. “They fertilize them and water and then talk to them and pray over them and so forth to get those flowers to grow. And then we sell those flowers to the public.”
“When you come and buy your flowers from us, you get some beautiful flowers. But 100% of those dollars come right back into helping us support the mission.” Gaymon explained, “which is, feeding people who are hungry, giving clothing to people who need clothing, and giving them shelter, either in our men’s or women’s shelter and also in our addiction program.”…