On Thursday, Aug. 23, Greg and Dorrie DePedro, the proprietors of the Coatesville Flower Shop, will once again give away approximately 10,000 roses in honor of their daughter, Lisa DePedro, who tragically passed away from cancer on that date, 14 years ago.

Throughout the years, the DePedros have given away more than 100,000 roses in Lisa’s memory.

Anyone and everyone is invited to the Coatesville Flower Shop – a business that has been a staple on the city’s Main Street (East Lincoln Highway) for decades – to receive a dozen roses, free of charge.

There is one stipulation: You keep one rose for yourself, and give the others to 11 people who need a smile, who need encouragement, who just need something nice done for them. With each rose you give, you’re keeping Lisa’s memory alive.

The tradition was born out of the tremendous outpouring of support from the community when Lisa, who was 30 years old at the time and whose favorite flower was a rose, was diagnosed with a rare form of lung cancer.

“So many people wanted to do so much for us that, finally, we asked Lisa: ‘Is there anything you need?’” Greg said. “So many people wanted to help, and we didn’t know what to tell them.

“Her answer to us was ‘tell them to do something nice for someone today.’”

The Coatesville Flower Shop at259 E Lincoln Hwy in Coatesville will be open from 7:30 AM-5 PM on Thursday, Aug. 23.