MADISON, Wis. (AP) - Small bouquets of flowers have been popping up around Madison thanks to an organized effort to promote random acts of kindness.
The Wisconsin State Journal (https://bit.ly/2ojpJFk) reports the project began nearly two years ago - and has since spread to other communities - thanks to Madison resident Danika Laine Brubaker.
Now the flowers are sprouting up in numerous places, from the flower beds outside the state Capitol to nooks around a local library. Brubaker estimates that about 350 bouquets have been hidden in association with her “For the One Who Finds Me” project, with about 100 to 150 bouquets created by her and the rest made during workshops or on a whim by others.
She admits that it all started as a test.
“I found a little vase at the thrift store, got a little bouquet at Trader Joe’s,” she said. “I set it out on the front step of my apartment building, left to run errands and when I got back it was gone.”
She said a social media check for the “For the One Who Finds Me” hashtag found someone discovered the bouquet, and that it made the person’s day. Brubaker said she was inspired to continue with the effort.
Brubaker said she was inspired to start the project in part by her mother, who taught her about random acts of kindness, and after stumbling on something similar while she was attending the University of Wisconsin in 1999.
“I was in the Memorial Union and I found a piece of found art on the back door of a bathroom stall,” she said. “It was a decorated little tag that said, ’The pain passes but the beauty remains.’ It’s a Renoir quote. And it said, ’You’ve found art made for you by Sharon.’ My day was made!”
To promote the project and community building, Brubaker successfully applied for an artist in residency position at the Bubbler at the Madison Public Library. She spent the month of August conducting workshops focused on kindness.
“Danika had an overwhelmingly positive response at the Central Library,” Rebecca Millerjohn, children’s librarian at the Sequoya Library said. “It was so much fun to see tiny flower bouquets all over the library and downtown.”
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Information from: Wisconsin State Journal, https://www.madison.com/wsj
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