“Photo: Debbie Holbert of Something Special in Langley is awash in a sea of roses, as she and two other South Whidbey florists will be on Wednesday, when they’ll be giving away thousands of the blooming stems to mark Good Neighbor Day. Joan Soltys/staff photoSouth Whidbey will be very rosy next Wednesday.For the first time, local florists are taking part in national Good Neighbor Day, a celebration of friendship and community connections that was started by an FTD florist in Jackson, Miss. in 1994. That was when Brook Jacobs decided it was time to promote a return to friendliness among his neighbors. He gave away a dozen roses to each person who visited his shop on a designated day, with only one caveat: Each recipient was asked to keep one rose and give the others away to 11 different people, to help make new acquaintances or renew an old friendship.That first year Jacobs gave away 15,000 roses — and his idea blossomed into an annual national event, supported by FTD sponsorship and celebrated on the first Wednesday in September. South Whidbey will celebrate its first Good Neighbor Day, sponsored by Neighbor to Neighbor, on Sept. 6, when three local florists will distribute their own dozens of roses. Flowers By the Bay in Freeland, Something Special in Langley and Island Floral at Ken’s Korner will each open their doors at 8 a.m. so people can come to get the roses, keep one and then give the others away — to a co-worker, a sales clerk in a retail store, an old friend not seen for a while. It’s a great way to say thank you to a neighbor, make new acquaintances or renew an old friendship, said Debbie Holbert, of Something Special. And since Sept. 6 is the second day of school here, people might want to take roses to teachers and administrators. Pauline Cruchon and Barbara Smith of Island Floral will prepare a special card to include in the bunches of roses explaining the concept of Good Neighbor Day, and plan to distribute the flowers to their retail neighbors in the shopping center. They’ve been very good to us here, Cruchon said, noting that the shop just celebrated its first anniversary. The idea is wonderful, she added. Giving someone flowers who’ve never gotten any, saying thank you to a special person, putting a rose on a tray delivered through Meals on Wheels.Tracy Schultz, Flowers by the Bay owner, said she had wanted to participate in the past, but didn’t feel she could go it alone. The cooperation organized by Neighbor to Neighbor was a key reason I got involved, Schultz said. Neighbor to Neighbor has itself purchased a supply of roses and will deliver its own dozens to schools, libraries, the Senior Center, Meals on Wheels and similar organizations. Volunteer Nancy Waddell will even visit the City Council Wednesday evening to report on the day’s event and give roses to councilmembers. Mayor Lloyd Furman has issued a proclamation naming Sept. 6 FTD Good Neighbor Day, noting, Through this act of kindness, new friendships will be formed and a message of neighborliness expressed, and urging all citizens to celebrate and participate in this special observance. Several businesses will also take part by giving away roses to their customers and helping with the cost of flowers given to community organizations. They include the Island Athletic Club, Ric Prael of Langley and Paul’s and Co. in Freeland. Other businesses that wish to get involved can call Waddell at 221-5781. Neighbor to Neighbor promoted a network of neighborhood coordinators last year in anticipation of problems at the turn of the century. When all went smoothly, we turned our attention to building community on South Whidbey, Waddell said. This is just one of our projects, and we hope it will grow each year. South Whidbey is already a friendly place, but this event is a good way to make visible our caring and compassion, and have some fun. “