r I oucveur L x .&e. t By Henry Bury * THE INTELLIGENCER ! What better way to welcome a new family to the Friendly City than with a bouquet of blooms? It was 40 years ago that Laura Hagerman asked Barber's Flowers Ltd. to join Welcome Wagon as a sponsor. And for 35 of those years, she personally delivered Welcome Wagon baskets, including those blooming Barber's flowers, to new- comers in Belleville. She said Monday she would still be carrying out her Welcome Wagon hostess duties if not for a hip oper- ation five years ago. Hagerman, now 103, opened her apartment door at the Hagerman Block, 186 1/2 Front St. for a special celebration Monday afternoon. Welcome Wagon presented Bar- ber's Flowers with a special plaque to mark its 40-year involvement as a business sponsor. Anne MacKinnon, Barber 's owner-manager, was on hand to receive the plaque. "It's an honour for us to be involved with Welcome Wagon for the past 40 years and this recogni- tion makes it even more special," she said. The flower shop at 122 Front St., which was established in 1890 by her great great grandfather, S.S. Pot- ter, has been presenting two carna- tions to every newcomer to Belleville visited by Welcome Wagon. Joining Welcome Wagon made good business sense, she said. "It's a way of getting our name out there to newcomers in our com- munity. We want to make them feel welcome in our store and our com- munity," said MacKinnon, adding her store's involvement with the program will continue for many years to come. Hagerman admired the plaque and recalled how she signed the original contract with Barber's Flow- ers in 1963 to provide colourful car- nations to newcomers into the city. Hagerman was a Welcome Wagon hostess for a record 50 years. She ran the Esquire Grille below her current apartment until the early 1950s. She sold the business and joined Welcome Wagon to keep herself busy -- and keep busy she did for a half century. "I enjoyed welcoming new peo- ple to Belleville and I probably would have been still working if I didn't break my hip when I was 98," she laughed. Hagerman is an inspiration to Welcome Wagon, say local host- esses. "Laura is a role model for all Wel- come Wagon hostesses because we all adore her," said Catherine Mur- ray, a hostess for the past four years. Her comments were echoed by the newest hostess, Phyllis Leddy. "She is a role model because of her perseverance and success over her 50 years with Welcome Wagon," she said. Welcome Wagon was established in Canada in 1930 and the organi- zation dedicated to welcoming new- comers into the community has been operating in Belleville for more than 50 years. Local businesses financially spon- sor W'elcome Wagon. They also pro- vide such gifts as fresh flowers, cookies, candies and candles, and invitations that go inside special baskets that are delivered by host- esses to their clients. Hostesses make between 30 and 40 visits a month to new individuals and families moving into the city. "The challenge is finding new people to Belleville," said hostess Murray. "Anyone can phone Wel- come Wagon and provide the names of newcomers and we will look after the rest." The Welcome Wagon phone num- ber is 967-8780. Gloria York, Welcome Wagon's area manager, said participating businesses receive many benefits from the program. "It gives the business a commu- nity identity and we wish more busi- nesses would participate with Wel- come Wagon and make newcomers even more welcome in their respec- tive communities," said York. \ r \U\V, J er\cer-