Roses for
Birth Choice
By Cara Koenig
The Sooner Catholic

Becky Cox and Kristin Van Horn both sophomores at Bishop McGuinness had wanted to do a big service project since their freshman year but nothing seemed to fit. But last winter Becky’s mom got a call from Birth Choice asking her to help with their auction/fundraiser. Becky and Kristin realized Birth Choice was their project.

They needed a new idea on how to raise money.  

“We wanted something that went with Birth Choice’s theme of making someone feel loved, special,” Kristin said. “So we thought of selling roses that would be delivered to classrooms.”  

The girls got to work. David Morton, principal of Bishop McGuinness, was in full support. The next step was finding roses at a low cost. They called the Edmond Flower Shop. The owner believed in the cause and gave the girls up to 200 roses for free. They would have to rid the roses of thorns and wrap them, which they did in an assembly line with help from friends and family members in the kitchen at the Van Horn home.

At final tally 85 roses were ordered at $3 each.  “Some people when they found out what the roses were for just gave what extra money they had. One guy gave us $2 because he did not have enough to buy a rose but supported Birth Choice,” said Becky.  In the end they raised $245.

 “So many people came up to us asking if we were still selling the roses, they had not heard what we were doing, that we are sure we will have a bigger response next year,” said Kristin.
 

Above:Kristin Van Horn and Becky Cox. At leftt  Kristin Van Horn and Becky Cox with Catherine Chastain, Paloma Hinahon and Clinton Kubat,  friends who bought and received roses.