<\/p>\n
Thrisha Sukesh, Kaylee Crain, and Miya Fisher deliver flower arrangements to James L. West Center for Dementia Care.<\/p>\n
Courtesy of Thrisha Sukesh<\/p>\n
A North Texas high school senior has been using her free time to make and donate floral arrangements to senior living care centers in hopes of showing the residents they have a community that cares for them.<\/p>\n
Thrisha Sukesh grew up spending time in the garden in her backyard in Mira Vista with her grandfather.<\/p>\n
She\u2019s preparing to begin her senior year of high school at Trinity Valley School in southwest Fort Worth and is urging those in her community to donate to her Forget Me Not Flower Initiative.<\/p>\n
The program, which she began last fall, collects donations of flowers to repurpose into flower arrangements for senior living centers in hopes of brightening the residents\u2019 days.<\/p>\n
She came up with the idea for the Forget Me Not Flower Initiative when she noticed how many bouquets and floral arrangements were being left to rot after school dances.<\/p>\n
During the fall of last year, Sukesh collected flowers after the homecoming dances from Trinity Valley School, Fort Worth Country Day, Southwest Christian School, and Paschal High School.<\/p>\n
Sukesh said she learned how to make flower arrangements from her mother, who has always loved them just as much as she does.<\/p>\n
Sukesh first started donating flowers when she received grant money from a charity league. She is a member of the National Charity League, a nonprofit organization for mothers and daughters that focuses on community service. Sukesh received a $400 grant from the league in 2024 and used it to deliver flowers and cookies to James L. West Center for Dementia Care, where she is a longtime volunteer. She started the initiative at school after the grant money ran out.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom that point, I realized kind of the impact it had, there was always a little smile on their faces and a little bit more joy brought to them whenever they saw these flowers,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
After she collected flower donations following the homecoming dance, she assembled a team of volunteers and repurposed around 30 flower donations into small table arrangements for James L. West Center for Dementia Care near downtown Fort Worth.<\/p>\n
![\"Flower](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/IMG_4709.jpeg\" "\\"IMG_4709.jpeg\\"")
Flower arrangements Thrisha Sukesh made to donate to senior care living facilities. Courtesy of Thrisha Sukesh <\/p>\n
She said they even received enough donations to gift other senior living homes with flowers as well, including Sunrise Senior Living in southwest Fort Worth and The Ridgelea Senior Living in Ridglea Hills.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey were really supportive of this initiative and really receptive about it. And the seniors there also loved it,\u201d Sukesh said.<\/p>\n
When Sukesh was in sixth grade, her grandfather was diagnosed with dementia. Ever since she has spent her afternoons and weekends learning about dementia to educate people on the topic.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel like there\u2019s a lot of stigma surrounding dementia, or maybe people aren\u2019t as aware of it as I would want them to be, and I think this is a great way to raise awareness about it because you know dementia is becoming increasingly prevalent in our community,\u201d Sukesh said.<\/p>\n
Valynda King, director of enrichment at James L. West Center for Dementia Care, said that the flowers always brighten the residents\u2019 days.<\/p>\n
\u201cThrisha has been one of our greatest success stories when it comes to volunteering. She always comes in with something fresh and new,\u201d King said.<\/p>\n
Sukesh said initially only envisioned the flowers to be sourced from school dances, but after Mira Vista Stroll, a private neighborhood magazine that covers the Mira Vista neighborhood, highlighted her initiative, she began getting more donations.<\/p>\n
Elena Schnell, a recent bride, heard about the article from her mother-in-law and decided to donate her wedding flowers. She said she was already planning on donating her flowers and was inspired by Sukesh\u2019s story.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe loved the idea of them having a second life and bringing joy to someone else,\u201d Schnell said. \u201cBut after reading her story, it became an easy decision to donate them through her organization.\u201d<\/p>\n
Schnell added that she has witnessed several family members navigate Alzheimer\u2019s and the struggles that come with it.<\/p>\n
\u201cKnowing our flowers could brighten the day of seniors meant so much to us,\u201d Schnell said. \u201cWe were truly honored to be able to contribute in a small way.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sukesh explained that the most important part of this initiative is showing the seniors in the Fort Worth community that people care about them.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think the main thing I would want people to take away from this is to get involved in their communities and help the seniors in their communities, and do what they can to raise awareness about dementia, because it\u2019s an important cause,\u201d Sukesh said.<\/p>\n