BY KAREN BOSSICK

Supporters of The Senior Connection aim to turn the Wood River Valley yellow—yellow with daffodils.

The Senior Connection is teaming up with the Sawtooth Botanical Garden to plant 10,000 daffodil bulbs this coming fall at the garden. The yellow beauties will bloom come Spring 2022 and kick off inaugural Daffodil Festival celebrating spring, our seniors and the community’s public botanical garden.

It will include viewing parties, a celebratory event and daffodil bouquet sales.

“This program will last for decades,” said Marty Lyon, Daffodil Festival Committee chair. “We intend to help it grow each year to become an event that will boost our local economy.”

Lyon, who has volunteered with both organizations, was inspired by the annual Daffodil Festival held every April in Tacoma, Puyallup, Sumner and Orting, Wash. The event has become quite the tourist attraction, providing the focal point for the Washington State Spring Fair with its parade of floats decorated with fresh-cut daffodils.

That event originated in 1934 as a celebration of the Washington daffodil farmers who raised huge crops of the beautiful golden flowers for so long.

Both the Senior Connection and Sawtooth Botanical Garden are now accepting donations by “selling” daffodil bulbs for their fall planting.

Proceeds from the Daffodil Festival will be shared between the two nonprofit organizations, allowing them to prolong the quality of life for seniors and entice residents and visitors to explore the beauty and diversity of the garden.

To learn more or make a donation, email ramona@seniorconnectionidaho.org or call 208-788-3468. Or, call the Sawtooth Botanical Garden at 208-726-9358.