The Hastings Area Rotary Club is once again bringing a little color to the community with its annual rose sale, a fundraiser that has been part of the local Rotary tradition for decades.
The 2026 sale is now open, with deliveries scheduled for Oct. 22 and 23. Customers can choose between traditional red Rotary roses or a “lollipop” bouquet featuring mixed-color roses. Each dozen is $24.99, and customers who purchase four bouquets can receive a fifth bouquet free.
Orders can be delivered anywhere within the Hastings city limits in the 55033 ZIP code. Rotary members will handle the deliveries, with morning and afternoon time slots available on both delivery days. Morning deliveries will take place from 9 a.m. to noon, while afternoon deliveries will be made from noon to 3 p.m.
Customers ordering several bouquets can also have them delivered to different addresses. Delivery information for each bouquet can be included with the order. Those who prefer to pick up their roses may do so at 103 Second St. E. on the scheduled delivery days.
Rotary member Katy Lindberg said the fundraiser has been around for several decades, helping the club raise money for organizations including United Way, Hastings Family Service and 360 Communities.
For Lindberg, the sale is also tied to memories of involving her own family in Rotary service.
“My favorite memory is when my children (now 21 and 23) were toddlers, they would help me delivery and learn that volunteering can be very rewarding,” Lindberg said. “You never saw smiles so big as the recipients of the flowers.”
The delivery portion of the fundraiser has long been part of what makes the event distinctive. Rather than simply selling roses at a central location, Rotarians take the bouquets throughout Hastings, giving buyers an opportunity to surprise friends, relatives, coworkers or neighbors.
That personal connection is part of the appeal of the annual fundraiser. A dozen roses can brighten someone’s day, while the money raised helps the Hastings Area Rotary Club continue supporting organizations that serve people throughout the community.
The sale also gives Rotary members an opportunity to do what the organization is known for locally, turning a fundraiser into a hands-on service project. Members do not simply collect orders, they spend two.