Local 249 MC delivers roses for widows

By Cecelia Davis

Missing someone you truly love in this day of age is very common. Whether it’s being stuck in quarantine or your spouse taking a small business trip in the hope to return home as soon as they can. You generally have a known time when you will see them again or you can simply just shoot them a text or give them a call but what if that call was never answered and now, you’re not able to physically see and feel them. Missing someone turns into a whole new meaning. Time stands still and you find yourself feeling…Alone.

The transition in grief is an everchanging act of emotions and nothing truly helps ease the pain, especially during the holidays but on February 11, the Motorcycle Committee had somehow found a slight solution to temporarily tackle any sadness for people who had lost their spouses sometime in their lives by participating in an event called, Roses for Widows.

Roses for Widows consists of UAW 249 volunteers passing out more than 360 roses and chocolates that were made in the USA to widows and widowers within our community. They gathered early, on a beautiful sunny day to organize this heartfelt gesture completed with a lovely note that simply states that you are not alone on this Valentine holiday and to remind them that they are loved.

The union members worked diligently from sunup to sundown to spread the warmth of our local affection. Not a face was left without a smile and hearts overflowing with love. The chairman of the Motorcycle Committee, Joshua Curtis, had commented ,” The event is about blessing those who have been forgotten since their spouse has passed away. We gladly try and make their day, week, possibly the year, a little better.”

They traveled a 100-mile radius from the Ford plant, hitting three major nursing homes, and then they went for a list of names that they had on file from the previous years. As a group, they gathered all the addresses and ventured out to the widow’s and widower’s work or home location to personally hand off their roses to them. If the recipients were not home, the committee was sure to leave the heartfelt gifts at the door so they would have something to come home to.

Not only did our union spread the love within our community, but they also presented the gifts to our in-house members like Shirley Mata, “It is a blessing. When you lose your husband, you are lonely and believe you are alone. Getting a rose the first year after delivering all the roses, I thought it was a beautiful surprise. It is wonderful each year.”

This is the Motorcycle Committee’s 4th year of doing this event and it just keeps getting bigger and better. Joshua Curtis continued to state, “This is probably my favorite event, you almost have to wear sunglasses to hide the tears because when you hear a widow say things like, “he has been gone for 27 years, and we were married on Valentine’s Day and since he passed no one has ever thought about me until now. God bless you and your group at Local 249 for making this time of the year, that is depressing, a reason to smile and to think back on all our good times we had.” Seeing the smiles and heart-felt love and appreciation on the receiving end of the roses has brought smiles and tears of joy. It’s nice knowing they are not forgotten.”

In hopes to triple the number of roses and love next year, the Motorcycle Committee is hoping to gather even more members to volunteer sometime to reach even more widows’ hearts within our community so they can know that they are truly not alone and that Local 249 will continue to love them throughout the years. If you want to be a part of this simple act of love for next year, contact Joshua Curtis, the chairman of the Motorcycle Committee directly or our local union hall.