Business & Tech

Melrose Business Raises Money for Stoneham Marathon Victims Fund

Find out how much money was raised by Melrose-based Jeri Solomon Floral Design for Stoneham natives injured during the Boston Marathon bombings on Patriots' Day.

A Melrose floral design studio recently raised more than $300 for Stoneham natives injured during the Boston Marathon bombings on Patriots' Day.

After an order fell through the cracks due to a lockdown in Boston while a manhunt was underway for the second Boston Marathon bombing suspect, Melrose-based Jeri Solomon Floral Design made the best of the situation, according to owner Jeri Solomon.

"Originally the centerpieces were for an event at one of the Boston hotels for one of the universities. They were having a brunch on Saturday morning," she said. "They canceled the event because they needed to cancel it by 5 p.m. the night before and everything was still on lockdown at that point, and I knew I had to deliver these arrangements by 9 a.m. (Saturday) so it was not something that I was going to be able to put together on Saturday morning had it been a 6 p.m. event on Saturday.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

"On Friday I put together the arrangements because they had to be ready to go knowing that they might cancel and they did, so I was like 'Well, what am I going to do with these arrangements?'"

While she might have been out the cost of goods following the order cancellation, Solomon said that "in the grand scheme of things to lose a couple hundred dollars when people lost a lot more than that I felt like this was the best thing to do." The bombings claimed the lives of three people and injured more than 170, while the manhunt was sparked after an MIT officer was executed and a MBTA officer critically wounded during a shoot-out Thursday night.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

Over the weekend, Jeri's sold 16 centerpieces featuring tulips, daffodils and hydrangea in a fish bowl-type vase for a minimum donation of $20 apiece, according to Solomon.

Jeri's raised a total of $340, and all proceeds benefit the Stoneham Marathon Victims Fund to help Stonehamites injured during the Boston Marathon bombings. 

On Sunday, the owner took to her Facebook page to thank those who supported the cause.

"Thank you! Thank you! To all those who bought arrangements on behalf of the Stoneham Marathon Victims Fund," reads the post. 

Solomon, a Stoneham resident, expects to make the donation to the bank this week.

How to Make a Donation

If you would like to make a donation to the Stoneham Marathon Victims Fund, send a check to: Stoneham Marathon Victims Fund, c/o StonehamBank, 80 Montvale Ave., Stoneham, MA 02180.

Stoneham Patch reported the following about one of the local victims:

"Family members and friends have confirmed that one of the Stoneham victims is Marc Fucarile, the brother of a Stoneham Police officer. Marc was severely injured and remains at Massachusetts General Hospital. The Stoneham Police Department has set up a fund for him at the Stoneham Municipal Credit Union. Donations can be mailed or delivered in person:

Stoneham Municipal Credit Union
40 Pine Street
Stoneham, MA 02180

Another fund has been created for this victim by his cousin and can be accessed at this website.

Another fund has been set up for three of the victimsaccording to this Facebook Page. Funds can be dropped off at Stoneham Bank or mailed to:

StonehamBank 
C/O Jacqui Webb, Paul Norden, JP Norden Recovery Fund
80 Montvale Ave Stoneham MA, 02180.

Donations to this fund can also be made online through PayPal."


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here