Shriner Roses offerings being expanded

Tillsonburg Shriner Dave Palmer displays the new birthstone design roses that he will be selling as a fundraiser for the Shriners Hospital in London. (Jeff Helsdon Photo)

Jeff Helsdon, Editor

The Shriner Roses fundraiser for the Tillsonburg Shrine Club is being expanded.

Shriner Dave Palmer, who came up with the concept of selling 3-D printed roses as a fundraiser for the Shrine Club, is now offering birthstone roses. Twelve different colours, representing the birthstones for each month, will be available.

Palmer explained beyond the concept of giving a gift of a birthstone of the recipient, the idea was to give birthstone roses to, for instance, a mother that represent the birth months of her family.

“I’m hoping it will catch on,” he said.

Palmer will be in the Tillsonburg Town Centre on Saturday, Oct. 18 selling birthstone roses, as well as orange and black Halloween roses. Free delivery will be offered for birthstone rose orders within Tillsonburg, with shipping available for out-of-town orders.

Also new is a web site that Palmer set up for rose sales, charity3droses.ca Orders can be placed through the web site and e-transfers will be accepted. Palmer will also be in the mall on Dec. 20 selling roses.

All of the proceeds from the sales go to the Shriners’ Hospital in London, as Palmer pays for the cost of the materials.

The Tillsonburg resident was inspired to raise money to help the Shriners Hospital after he went to the orthopedics hospital in Montreal. He was impressed with the facility, which has 22 beds and helps 1,000 youth per year. The hospital also has eight labs for research.