Four-O'Clock Flowers Around
the World Cancer Memorial
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After Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans, Kevin Donahoe developed the idea of collecting flooded and unflooded doubloons to benefit this project, as well as other projects. The following articles appeared in the Times-Picayune in 2005 and in the Times-Picayune in 2008 on the "Doubloons for Cancer" Project. An article also appeared in 2009 in Where Y'at Magazine on the 50th Anniversary of the Mardi Gras doubloon created by the Rex Organization. If you have any doubloons, please contact Kevin directly at: Kevindonahoe@aol.com
Original Newspaper Article from the Times-Picayune
It has been more than two months since thousands of residents have literally picked through their belongings, trying to salvage personal and special momentos that were covered in flood water and mud as a result of Hurricane Katrina. If some of the items found are Mardi Gras doublons and there is uncertainty as to what do do wth them, donate them to a worthy cause.
For more thna 11 years, Kevin Donahoe has maintained an ongoing cancer tribute called, "Four-o'clocks Around the World." The aim of the project is to have the four-o'clock flower as a unifying symbol of hope for people battling cancer. Donahoe, who lives in Metairie's Bucktown area, began the project in the spring 1994, just after the death of his father, Jim, as a atribute to him.On his web site, www.symbolfhope.com, Donahoe is asking local residents to donate doubloons which will be recycled by selling them on the web siter to benefit the project.
"I decided to ask for the doubloons when I realized how many persons were cleaning out their homes after being affected by Hurricane Katrina and throwing away thousands of doubloons," Donahoe said.
The four-o'clock flower seeds are offered free by Donahoe and the project has spanned across America and to more than 100 countries around the world. The donations Donahoe receives go toward mailing costs as well as cancer research.
"When I returned to the area, I placed signs around asking people for the doubloons," Donahoe said. "I received a number of calls from people and also form others who had already thrown their doubloons away because of the poor condition they were in.
"Each doubloon is a piece of the artwork of New Orleans, reflecting our culture, our customs and our history. While the popularity of doubloons may have waned for the time being, they are still valuable artifacts for future generations."
If you wish to donate doubloons, Contact Kevin Donahoe
