farragutpress

Painting the town purple

Local organizations teamed up for a special flower delivery to memory care residents

August 13, 2025 by Tammy Cheek

Random Acts of Flowers and Alzheimer’s Association teamed up with The Lantern at Morning Pointe Hardin Valley to “paint the town purple” Tuesday afternoon, Aug. 5.

“We are doing a purple flower delivery from Random Acts of Flowers to Morning Pointe’s Lantern, which is the memory care community here at the Hardin Valley location of Morning Pointe,” said Gabrielle H. Blake, a licensed clinical social worker and elder care coordinator at The Lantern and volunteer with the Alzheimer’s Association and Random Acts of Flowers.

Volunteers, such as Alzheimer’s Association and Random Acts of Flowers representatives, as well as WATE-TV6 anchors, presented each resident with a bouquet of flowers.

“We have had purple flower donations every year for Paint the Town Purple Week, but this is the first time that we are doing a delivery to this building,” Blake said.

Lones Green, The Lantern community relations director, said the community, which opened April 4, has about 49 residents.

“We have the capacity of 60 residents,” he added. “I think (the flower delivery) is fantastic. You know, we do our best to love on our people, and (Random Acts) have been nice enough to show such a kind gesture, so we’re excited.

“It’s going to make the day of some of our residents,” Green added. “To see a small gesture, like getting flowers, can make our residents’ days.

“The small gestures go a long way.”

“We are doing this purple delivery in recognition of the Walk to End Alzheimer’s Association Paint the Town Purple Week,” Blake said.

“I think it’s so special, not just the mission of what we do at Random Acts of Flowers, being able to provide that out in the community, but then when you’re able to join forces with other community organizations that are putting so much good out, I just think that makes it all the more special,” Random Acts of Flowers director Ally Slavick said. “It really, truly defines the volunteer spirit, which I think that we have in this area.

“Our impact together is amplified when we are able to team up, so it means a lot to us at Random Acts of Flowers to be asked to do this year after year,” she said.

“I’m just here to promote the event and kind of get everybody excited for the walk (Saturday, Sept. 20, at Zoo Knoxville), to promote all the events we have this week and raise awareness of this disease,” said Talia Cunetto, volunteer with Alzheimer’s Association. She added that the walk is the organization’s biggest fundraiser of the year.

She estimated there are about 7.2 million across the country afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease. Of that, about 200,000 are in East Tennessee.

“The Morning Pointe community has been huge supporters of people living with Alzheimer’s and related brain changes since they have opened their first building here in the Knoxville area,” Blake said.

Morning Pointe has six locations in Knox County and 10 in the region, which includes Loudon and Anderson counties.

“Random Acts of Flowers takes flower donations and repurposes those into flower arrangements they deliver to healthcare settings all over the East Tennessee area, which include memory care units,” Blake said. “Paint the Town Purple Week (Aug. 5 through Aug. 9) is the official kickoff to the Alzheimer’s Association Walk season, and it is the week of all things purple, where we celebrate the work of the organization, show solidarity for people living with the illness and find creative ways to build awareness.”