A Beautiful Display of Gratitude and Appreciation for Concord’s Emergency Personnel

Three months ago, Concord resident, Ned Perry, reached out to Jennifer Eaton (resident and owner of of Copper Penny Flowers) to start planning way to recognize and show appreciation for our First Responders in Concord.

Like so many of us in Concord, Ned Perry wanted to find a way to thank our police and fire fighters for all they do for Concord, particularly during this stressful period of the Covid-19 Pandemic.

Jennifer went to work, searching for the perfect vase and then developing an arrangement that would be perfect for the event.

They came up with a plan and placed the orders for 100 cobalt blue vases. When the vases arrived, Copper Penny Flowers staff went to work, filling an arranging 100 lovely bouquets for the November 13th event, enough so every full-time member of the Police Department and the Fire Department would have an arrangement to take home with them at the end of her/his shift.

At 2:30 pm on Friday, November 13th, a small group of representatives of the Concord community gathered in front of the West Concord Fire Station to present the fire fighters with the floral arrangements, formed into a large heart shape.

In attendance:

The West Concord Fire Station, Ned Perry, Nancy Crowley and Dorrie Kehoe (both long time community leaders work on the fire station window boxes all year long) Maynard Forbes (owner of the West Concord 5 & 10), Jane Hotchkiss as a representative of Select Board, Jennifer Ubaldino, Executive Director of the Concord-Carlisle Community Chest.

Bonus – This event gave the fire fighters an opportunity to show off their brand new sharp yellow jackets – – – made in Concord!

Below, Jennifer Eaton puts final touches on the two heart formations.

An hour later at 3:30 pm, a different small group of representatives of the Concord community congregated in front of the Walden Street Fire Station to present Fire Chief Judge with similar blue vases and arrangements for the fire fighters who work in the Concord Center Fire Station.

Following the presentation to the Concord Firefighters, the small group of representatives moved over in front of the Police Station and presented a blue heart of flower arrangements to Chief O’Connor to thank each member of the Concord Police Department for everything each employee (from Dispatcher to Captain to Chief) do for Concord every day of the year. Chief O’Connor took a few moments to thank the community for the recognition and support.

 In attendance were: Police Chief O’Connor, the Concord Police Officers, Jennifer Eaton of Copper Penny Flowers , Peter Lovis of the Cheese Shop, Jennifer Ubaldino Executive Director of the Concord-Carlisle Community Chest, Jane Hotchkiss representing the Select Board and Ned Perry.

We would like to thank these front line workers for their dedication and service. We are so  grateful for the Concord Emergency Personnel.

We’d like to thank Jennifer Eaton & her Copper Penny Flowers staff for all the thought and time they put into making these lovely arrangements.

We’d also like to thank Ned Perry. We are so lucky to have people in our community like Ned Perry who take notice of all the people who contribute to making our town the special place we call home. It’s one thing to feel gratitude but quite another to be the one to put it into action.

Ned is known around town for being fiercely pro-Concord and a long time advocate of supporting our local merchants while always taking notice of the helpers and those in need.

Every town should be so lucky to have a Ned Perry to call a neighbor.