SIERRA VISTA — It’s not every day that Kathleen Pelot is treated to a bouquet of flowers.

So when the 98-year-old Life Care resident was presented with a colorful floral arrangement Monday morning, she was thrilled. All smiles, she thanked Poppy Harber, owner of Sierra Vista Flowers and Gifts, and the three Miss Sierra Vista pageant contestants who were  helping Harber deliver flower arrangements to nursing home residents throughout the Sierra Vista area.

“We’re doing this as part of ‘Make Someone Smile’ week,” Harber said. “We’ve made 100 arrangements and will be delivering them to the different nursing homes.”

Life Care was the their first stop in a list of deliveries. Ten of the floral arrangements, nestled in a large smiling mug, were presented to residents.

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“Well, I think this is just wonderful,” Pelot exclaimed when she received her bouquet. “I’m an old Texas farm girl, raised on a cotton farm. I don’t get too many flowers anymore, so this old farm girl is delighted,” she said with a gentle chuckle. Pelot, who will celebrate her 98th birthday in August, says she’s determined to “stick around long enough to celebrate number 100.”

Just down the hall from Pelot, 90-year-old Louise Erhardt, with daughter Sandra Erhardt at her side, also received a flower arrangement. “This is really, really pretty,” Louise said. “I love flowers. They cheer me up.”

Sandra Erhardt, who lives in Yuma, was in Sierra Vista to visit her mother. “I think these flowers are wonderful,” she said. “I really want to thank the flower shop for taking the time to do such a kind thing. What a nice surprise for the people who live here.”

Make Someone Smile week was created in 2000 by an online floral service called Teleflora. The program has since grown to become one of the floral industry’s leading charitable projects. Teleflora florists throughout the country, businesses like Sierra Vista Flowers and Gifts, contribute their time to create cheerful bouquets in the “Be Happy” mugs which are donated by Teleflora.

“The flowers were donated by Green Leaf Wholesale of Phoenix and the greenery is donated by Southern Arizona Floral out of Tucson,” Harber said.

When invited to participate in the flower delivery project, three Miss Sierra Vista pageant contestants, Acacia Barnett, Anna Chinen and Jeanette Halliburton, accepted. Pageant contestants, along with Miss Sierra Vista, also helped put the 100 arrangements together, a project that started late last week. “I love doing this,” Chinen said while helping with a delivery at Prestige Assisted Living. “I think it’s important to give these elderly people special attention. It not only makes them happy, but it puts a smile on our faces as well.”

Twenty five arrangements were delivered to Prestige Assisted Living, the second stop on a list of five assisted care facilities. Residents of Hacienda Rehabilitation and Care Center, Golden Oaks Ranch Assisted Living, and Aristo Care also received flowers.

Prestige Executive Director Babs Jackson requested the bouquets be placed in the common areas where everyone could enjoy them. “I love this,” Jackson said as she admired one of the arrangements. “Flowers are good for our residents. They make them so happy.” Arrangements at Prestige were set on tables in the facility’s dining areas and placed on fireplace mantles.

“This is our third year doing this,” said Andrea Fisher, Harber’s daughter, who works at Sierra Vista Flowers with her mother. “It’s really rewarding to come into these assisted living places and make the residents happy.”

Herald/Review reporter Dana Cole can be reached at 515-4618 or by e-mail at dana.cole@svherald.com.