GROVES — Magnolia Manor resident Barbara Stelly held a bright yellow, smiley face mug with equally colorful carnations as she spoke about her gift.

“Oh my gosh. I feel like a princess or a queen,” Stelly said.

Williams Florist, who are part of the Teleflora South Texas Unit partnered with Johnson Wholesale Florist of Beaumont to bring smiles to not only residents at Magnolia Manor but to personnel and staff at Groves Police Department and Groves Fire Department during Make Someone Smile Week on Wednesday.

Alli Meaux with Williams Floris said this is the shops third year to participate and second year to give out the mugs.

The group gathered at their 32^nd Street location where they loaded up a van with upwards of 200 mugs before setting out for the police department.

Groves City Marshal Norman Reynolds Jr. ushered the group into a break room where they stopped for a moment.

“These make people smile. They made me smile,” Reynolds said with emphasis on the word ‘me.’

Reynolds thanked the group of florists for the mugs and said he is thankful for the outpouring of generosity from the community.

Over at the fire department Chief Dale Jackson thanked the group for taking time to come out.

“I think it’s great,” Jackson said. “Everybody can use a smile every now and then. We appreciate this. We get so caught up in our job then someone does this, it makes you smile.”

Firefighter Haden Grove and Capt. Darin Monceaux said the floral filled mugs made them feel good and appreciated.

Meaux said taking part in the smile-producing event is rewarding.

“We often see people whoa re at the worst part of their life,” Meaux said. “This is rewarding. You feel connected to these people (clients) and it’s very satisfying, especially when we get to do things like this, unexpected.”

The shop contacted leaders at each of the groups asking the number of employees or residents but let the joyful mugs be a surprise.

Williams’ joined thousands Teleflora member florists across the country for Make Someone Smile Week. The program runs from July 17 through July 23 and is a joint venture led by local Teleflora member florists who volunteer their time to create and deliver the bouquets to those most in need of a smile, such as hospital patients, senior citizens living in nursing homes and assisted living homes, recipients of Meals on Wheels and others, according to information from Teleflora.

Mary Meaux: 409-721-2429

Twitter: @MaryMeauxPANews