By Shannon Alderman / Staff

A week ago, Atlanta got a belated Christmas gift in the form of almost three inches of snow. For some business owners, February’s fury of flurries was an unwelcome fiasco that meant fewer customers—especially if they were counting on a big Valentine’s Day sales rush.

But the staff at Harry’s Farmers Market, located at 1180 Upper Hembree Road in Roswell, came up with an inventive solution to turn lemons into lemonade.

“Unfortunately, Mother Nature really affected our floral sales for Valentine’s Day so we decided to brighten some people’s days and donate the majority of our unsold roses to others,” said Jennifer Smeth, Marketing Team Leader at Harry’s Farmers Market in Roswell.  

Love was in the air in Roswell and the cupids from Harry’s Farmers Market headed out into the city donating close to 800 roses to a host of deserving non-profits and organizations around North Fulton County.  Recipients included volunteers, hospital patients, moms and wives at North Fulton Hospital, North Fulton Community Charities, Child Development Association, Jacob’s Ladder, The Verdana, Habitat for Humanity of North Central Georgia, Foster Care Support Foundation and The Drake House.

At North Fulton Community Charities, the roses were sent to husbands to take home to their wives along with desserts donated by a local bakery. “Sometimes it’s the little things that can really brighten a person’s day,” said Abibou N’Diaye, Store Team Leader of Harry’s Farmers Market. 

“The roses from Harry’s were a wonderful treat for our parents and teachers—especially in the face of wintry weather. They were a real brightener for everyone’s day,” said Donna Smythe, Executive Director of the Child Development Association in Roswell, GA.