NHS Fundraises with Handmade Flowers

Caroline Lee

Staff Writer

    The AHS National Honor Society (NHS) is celebrating Valentine’s Day by once again selling and distributing their annual origami roses.

    The fundraiser was initiated four years ago and has grown, offering a variety of colors and bouquet deals.  Though the product–a paper rose with a Hershey’s Kiss and personal message–was consistent with previous years, this year, the club only accepted orders during the week of December 9, 2013 and had few special requests.

    “Ideally, we wanted a fundraising week in January to have enough time to make all the pre-orders,” senior and NHS President Michelle Ma said.  “However, we were unable to get a fundraising week and had to sell pre-orders in early December. This timing impacted our sales a bit.”

  In comparison to the two hundred fifty sold last year, the club sold about a hundred less, but Ma contributes that to the roses’ longevity.

    “A consequence of selling origami roses is that they never die,” Ma said.  “I noticed that customers who bought roses last year didn’t necessarily buy them again this year. This tells me we might have to rethink our fundraising strategy next year, but I’m still happy with the amount of profit we made.”

    Though the sales were down, even students unmoved by the holiday bought the origami flowers.

    “I heard about the fundraiser through my friends Michelle [Ma] and Priscilla [Ng], so I felt obligated to buy them for my girlfriend” senior Noah Keshner said.  “To me, Valentine’s Day just means you have to buy [things] for other people.”

    Still, to some, the fundraiser offered them a special chance to express a different love–friendship.

    “I have bought [the origami roses] in the past years and I started buying them because I thought it would be a nice way to show my friends that I appreciate and love them,” senior Supriya Kazi said.  “Also, I think they are something unique compared to a standard card or even a real rose.  Plus it has chocolates too.”

    NHS not only maintained some of its previous supporters, but also gained some new interest.

    “This is my first time [buying the roses],” junior Angelina Lam said.  “There really isn’t a deep significance to them, it was just a fun way to be festive and to do something nice for my friends.”

    Although students had different reasons for participating, all were tied together by the feelings and expectations that come with Valentine’s Day.

    “I think I’m in love with Valentine’s Day,” Lam said.  “There’s chocolate, movies, flowers, and everything is covered in pink.  But it’s a whole holiday dedicated to love, and romance, and spending time with those people you love.  It’s so sweet.  It’s really easy to be happy, feel warm and fuzzy.  Who doesn’t love that?”