Just in time for Mother’s Day, the Clearwater American Legion was blooming with all kinds of colorful plants right outside its front door.

The occasion was the Clearwater American Legion Riders’ Mother’s Day Plant Sale, an annual event for around 10 years. The first sale originally featured 30 hanging baskets for the community to choose from. As the sale proved popular, the group moved up to offering 50 plants, and now for the past four years, 100 baskets of plants have been available for purchase. The beautiful containers of flowering plants always sell out quickly within a couple of hours.

This year’s event once again drew a large crowd. People milled around admiring the amazing variety of high-quality plants that were on display, trying to narrow down which one, or ones, they were going to take home.

“I can’t believe how the Clearwater community came together and helped out the Clearwater American Legion Riders again this year,” said ALR Member Audra Pederson. “We started out with 100 plants, and in 30 minutes we were down to five.” 

The money raised from the plant sale helps the Legion Riders begin funding its annual Homeless Vets Run and Fundraiser. All of the money raised from that event goes to organizations dedicated to helping veterans. 

Each year the Legion Riders get their plants from Dan and Gerry’s out of Monticello. Pedersen expressed thanks to them and to the community.

“Whether you bought one plant or 10 plants, you have no idea how much the veterans appreciate everything Clearwater does for them,” she said. “From the bottom of our hearts we thank you so very much.”