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Recipient
of a Points of Light Foundation Award
"You
have done a wonderful service providing a symbol of hope to thousands of Americans
and persons around the world with this cancer project."
President George Bush
"Your
work is an outstanding example of what we can do for our fellow citizens through
community service."
President Bill Clinton
Four-o'clocks
Around the World 
Welcome to the Four-o'clocks Around the World web site. This tribute began in 1994 to honor the dying request of James Donahoe before losing his battle to cancer. James' last request was to see his four-o'clock plants bloom once more. The project has spanned to all 50 states and to over 100 country with four-o'clock seeds being planted by postal employees, postmasters, governors and first ladies, U.S. Presidents, U.S. Ambassadors, world leaders, royalty, Hollywood celebrities, and thousands of cancer survivors.
As the project grew across America and around the world, the response was overwhelming from cancer survivors, care givers, medical professionals, and gardeners to the tribute. Many persons planted four-o'clock seeds to honor persons who were battling cancer or in the memory of persons who lost their courageous battle to the disease. These persons began sharing the seeds from their plants with family, friends, coworkers, church members, schools, and others to perpetuate the tribute. They also began referring to the project as a "Symbol of Hope" a cure for cancer will be discovered.
The Goal of Four-o'clocks Around the World
The
goal of this grassroots project is to giveaway
free four-o'clock (Mirabilis jalapa) seeds and have the seeds growing across
America and around the world in a tribute to all cancer survivors and in the
memory of our loved ones who fought a courageous battle against cancer.
Four-o'clock
are an annual plant in the North and a perennial plant in the South, which bloom
from spring until the first frost. The sweet smelling, trumpet shaped white,
yellow and magenta flowers produce an abundance of seeds which persons can share
with family and friends. The four-o'clock flower opens after 4 p.m. in the afternoon,
hence the name of the plant. The Daffodil is known as the international symbol
of hope for cancer survivors. This is very important as the daffodil is the
first flower of the year sending blooms out of the snow. It is our hope the
four-o'clock project compliments the daffodils because of the lengthy blooming
period of the four-o'clock plants which can be easily grown and shared with
family
and friends.
The Story of Four-o'clocks Around The World
My
dad, James Donahoe, loved growing four-o'clock since childhood. He worked on
the docks of New Orleans
for 40 years. He was a member of MENSA, wrote
poetry and short stories, was a gardener, tutored local children, and was
devoted to his wife, children and grandchildren. His last request before losing
his battle to cancer was to see his four-o'clocks bloom once more. Unfortunately,
James lost his battle to cancer on April 6, 1994. His beloved four-o'clock
flowers bloomed two weeks after his funeral.
Out of the love for my dad and in grief over his passing, I decided to send four-o'clock seeds to postmasters and governors across America with the request they plant the seeds in time for dad's July 17, 1994 birthday. The postmasters and governors throughout the nation planted his four-o'clock seeds with letters from everyone presented to my mom, Dot, at a small gathering of family and friends on dad's birthday.
The project grew to over 100 countries around the world in 1996 with U.S. Ambassadors, world leaders, VIPs, and others participating in the project and planting dad's four-o'clock seeds. The project was renamed, "Four-o'clocks Around the World."
The United States Postal Service has been very supportive of the project with articles being published in the USPS publications Focus and Postal Life. Free seeds were offered to postal employees resulting in thousands of employees requesting free seeds. Articles appeared on the project in the Times-Picayune, the Associated Press, Duke University, the Baton Rouge Advocate, Northeast Louisiana University, the Lafayette Advertiser, and other publications. The project has won numerous awards, including the Points of Light Foundation, an award from Chamber of Commerce of Greater New Orleans and the River Region, and a U.S. Congressional Certificate.
More than 550,000 persons lose their battle to cancer each year in the United
States. I would like to give those battling cancer, their caregivers, and health
care professionals a symbol of hope. Please help promote this grassroots campaign
by sending this web site to others, sharing seeds from their four-o'clocks with
family, friends and coworkers, and though any support you can provide to this
project. I need sponsors to help promote this project further. I am also available
to speak on the tribute at meetings and events.
Thank you for taking the time to read about the "Four-o'clocks Around the World" cancer tribute and hope you will participate in this project.
| Enjoy
the spirit of the famous New Orleans' Mardi
Gras
through gift packages to support |
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Four-O'clocks
Around the World©, 1994 - 2005 New Orleans, Louisiana U.S.A.
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