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You might be wondering how we can promote any sort of surprise on Old Mission Gazette. We have more than 5000 email subscribers, after all, and thousands of readers to the website every day (thank you to everyone who reads the Gazette!).
But Marge Kroupa, Lorey Kroupa’s wife, assures me that Lorey is not a techie guy at all, and will never see this story anywhere on the web. So we’re counting on all of you to help us spread the word about a really fun event and avoid mentioning it to Lorey if you see him.
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You may have noticed that Lorey isn’t selling flowers at Lorey’s Harbor Station anymore, something he’s been doing since the beginning of time. Ok, really since 1972 – that’s 45 years, people! While we miss seeing him at the stand located at the corner of Bowers Harbor Road and Peninsula Drive, he’s decided to retire because, let’s face it, it’s a ton of work.
Bill Harper, one of Marge and Lorey’s neighbors, is organizing a a gathering called “Fill the Station With Flowers” to celebrate the many years Lorey has brought gorgeous flowers to the Old Mission Peninsula.
On Friday, July 7, everyone is invited to show up at Lorey’s Harbor Station at 3:30 to 3:45 p.m. Bring a lawn chair and a basket or pot of flowers, if you have them (no worries, if not, and then you’ll take them back home with you). Lorey will arrive for the surprise around 4 p.m.
“I think most everybody up here has waved at Lorey, bought his flowers and stopped in,” says Bill. “But this time, we want him to drive up to his stand and see all his friends, thanking him, with flowers and people everywhere.”
Snacks and beverages will be provided. If you have questions, call Bill Harper, (850) 591-3227 or email [email protected]. See you at the surprise!
SUPPORT YOUR INDEPENDENT LOCAL NEWSPAPER: I started Old Mission Gazette in 2015 because I felt a calling to provide the Old Mission Peninsula community with local news. After decades of writing for newspapers and magazines like the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Family Circle and Ladies' Home Journal, I really just wanted to write about my own community where I grew up on a cherry farm and raised my own family. So I started my own newspaper.
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What a wonderful idea. We must celebrate the people who have been making life out here memorable. Lorey gives so much to our community. He drove the JAM bus for the after school program every Wednesday for years. A bought enough sweets to make the end of a long school day happy. Lorey donated so many plants to everyone. A true Character on the “P”
Looking forward to celebrating Lorey’s surprise party!
Lorey Kroupa’s passing just before Thanksgiving 2021. What a wonderful war hero. The boom of the canons left him deaf. His 46 years of Vegtable and Flower stand were a daily stop in the summer for many of us. Lorey a kind soul with a beautiful wife Marge and daughter Alicia are a treasure. Alicia with her own family in town. Cannot believe it has been 5 years since Lorey retired from running the Harbor Station aka cherry weigh station years before Lorey went to war. Lorey Kroupa’s Harbor Station Fruit, Vegtable and Flower stand is empty here but full in Heaven where Lorey joins his missing family and friends to smoke cigars and have a drink waving to all of us who pass his way looking down from his heavenly flower stand. You will be missed. With deep gratitude for your service, labor, help, advice raising my kids and all the live you and Marge have shared. Thank you
[…] all at Lorey Kroupa’s surprise retirement party on Friday. As we announced last week, Lorey has officially retired from selling flowers at Lorey’s Harbor Station by Bowers Harbor. So a neighbor, Bill Harper, […]