WHEREAS, in 2014, Schmidt's Flowers & Accessories celebrated 75 years of providing flowers to the people of the Williamsburg area and its many visitors and has developed innovative ways to assist local worthwhile causes; and

WHEREAS, Schmidt's Flowers & Accessories, a proud small business enterprise, has had three owners in its more than seven decades of service; the current proprietors are Patti and Dave DeBlass, owners of the flower and gift shop since 2007; and

WHEREAS, when the Schmidt family opened the business in 1939, there were only a few florists in Tidewater; in the early days members of the Rockefeller family, who lived in Williamsburg for part of the year, were patrons; and

WHEREAS, when it first opened, Schmidt's Flowers & Accessories was on Duke of Gloucester Street; it has since moved twice and currently serves customers in the greater Williamsburg and James City County area from its store on Richmond Road in Lightfoot; and

WHEREAS, Schmidt's Flowers & Accessories has provided flowers for Colonial Williamsburg, and in that capacity designed arrangements for Queen Elizabeth II during her two visits to the former British colonial capital; and

WHEREAS, Dave and Patti DeBlass focus on their customers, encouraging them to take part in selecting flowers and containers; bouquets are assembled in the shop and Schmidt's Flowers & Accessories encourages customers to recycle or return containers for reuse; and

WHEREAS, an effort to help their neighbors who seldom have fresh flowers led to the establishment of a second business; Schmidt's had a surplus of flowers following Valentine's Day in 2008; the couple donated the inventory to continuing care centers instead of throwing the blooms away; and

WHEREAS, the response was tremendous as the flowers from Schmidt's brought brightness and cheer to the recipients; soon afterward, the DeBlasses formed Blooms That Brighten, Inc., a nonprofit volunteer-run organization that makes and delivers more than 100 arrangements weekly to people in residential care centers; and

WHEREAS, Schmidt's Flowers & Accessories also has developed a flower grant program where qualifying organizations can apply for floral arrangements to be used for fundraisers or other causes; it is one more way the DeBlasses thank the community for its steadfast support; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend Schmidt's Flowers & Accessories on the occasion its 75th anniversary of providing flowers to the people of the Williamsburg area and for developing innovative ways to assist many local worthwhile causes; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Patti and Dave DeBlass, owners of Schmidt's Flowers & Accessories, as an expression of the General Assembly's congratulations and admiration for its many years in business and best wishes for continued future success.