A local business, Log Cabin Florist, gave away 20,000 roses in bunches of a dozen for Good Neighbor Day.

There is a twist, though. Owners Jerry and Terry Beckwith and Dawn Baumgarten have proposed to the community to share the neighborliness with others; those picking up the roses were asked to keep one for themselves and give 11 away.

This tradition started in 1996 with a man named Brook Jacobs in Mississippi to promote neighborliness in his community.

Log Cabin Florist followed his example the following year and continued this tradition in this community ever since.

“I’m going to give some of my flowers to the nurses who helped me with my seizures and some friends that helped me during this last year that has been really tough for me,” said Carol Owen on Sept. 1 when Log Cabin Florist hosted its annual FTD Good Neighbor Day.

“I going to give flowers to my mommy,” said Rowan, 3, as he walked proudly with a dozen roses in one hand and holding his father’s hand with the other.

This is the 14th year Log Cabin gives roses to our community with the help of the Rose Society Volunteers.

In the first year, 1997, Log Cabin Florist gave 7,000 roses away for Good Neighbor Day and in 2007 they gave up to 32,000.

“Everyone is functioning at lightning speed so this gives us the opportunity to show someone we were thinking about them at least once a year,” said Dawn Baumgarten, owner of Log Cabin florist.

She later added “roses are the universal symbol of love and you are given the chance to share that love with 11 people.”

This year’s ambassador was Mayor Harvey Hall who handed out roses to several of the first customers early that morning on Sept. 1.

“Log Cabin wants Bakersfield to become a closer community. This is why we give them away and when the community needs a florist they will call us because we care about them,” said Dawn Baumgartner.