Photos by ALAN KIM The Roanoke Times

As part of "Make Someone Smile Week," Christiansburg police Chief Mark Sisson helps deliver flowers to residents of Wheatland Hills, a retirement and assisted living community. Peeking out of the door is Bernadine Lester, 98. Erlene Barber (right), who works with Gates Flowers, helped organize the local deliveries.

Wheatland Hills resident Myrtle Carroll, who turned 83 on Tuesday, admires a bouquet of flowers given to her by Christiansburg Mayor Richard Ballengee. "They're beautiful," she said. "I love flowers."

So were the feelings of goodwill Wednesday as some senior citizens in Christiansburg received a surprise delivery of flowers.

The bouquet of benevolence is part of the national "Make Someone Smile Week" program through Teleflora, a flower wire service, and its member florists. The program offers donated flowers and mugs to people in need of a little cheer, such as hospital patients and senior citizens in nursing homes and assisted-living centers.

In Christiansburg, residents in the Wheatland Hills and English Meadows retirement communities received fresh daisies in a bright yellow mug with a smiley face. They also had special visitors as Christiansburg police Chief Mark Sisson and Mayor Richard Ballengee helped hand out the arrangements.

"They're beautiful," said Myrtle Carroll, a Wheatland Hills resident. "I love flowers."

Carroll's birthday was Tuesday, so the flowers were an extra treat.

As Sisson and Ballengee canvassed the community with the mugs they were greeted by surprised faces and sweet smiles from the residents.

"That makes me feel real good," Wheatland resident Nellie Holland said as she clutched her mug.

The good feelings are what make the program so rewarding, said Erlene Barber, who works with Gates Flowers and helped organize the local deliveries.

"Some people are just thrilled," Barber said. "I think I probably get more emotional than they do. It's fun just to watch them light up a little bit when you walk into the room."

Donations and volunteers help power the flower program.

Teleflora donated more than 40,000 of the mugs to member florists, who then work with local wholesalers and growers to get donated flowers.

Gates Flowers of Christiansburg provided the transportation for the flowers, while Dunman Floral Supply in Vinton donated daisies and greenery for the mugs. Also, Barber's husband, town Councilman Mike Barber, donated money to purchase flowers.

Erlene Barber created the flower arrangements and said roughly 140 of the mugs would be given out to the seniors, including some who live by themselves in town.

"It is so rewarding," she said about the effort. "Flowers are always comforting."

Residents who received the deliveries also seemed delighted by their visitors.

The mayor and police chief were invited into rooms or homes and offered coffee and hearty handshakes.

Ballengee also had a mini reunion of sorts seeing people he knew from his days working as a school administrator or through his time in the community, such as the woman who told him he used to be her paper boy years ago.

As the mayor presented the flowers, he told residents that he hoped it gave them a happier day.

Sisson also told residents that the arrangements were intended to brighten their morning.

After the police chief knocked on Bernadine Lester's door in the Wheatland Hills community, she asked, with a smile, "Have I done something wrong?"

No, she just had a special delivery.

"I do appreciate them very much," Lester said about the flowers. "It just brightened my day. It made my day. It just couldn't come at a better time."