Friday, June 15, 2007

Repayment Day Rose Sale

Next week the Nazareth Rotary Club will be holding its annual "Repayment Day Rose Sale" on Friday and Saturday (June 22 & 23).

While many of us think of Nazareth as a colonial town, it actually has medieval origins.

In 1682 William Penn granted 25,000 acres to his daughter Letitia. After his death, in 1731 the final 5,000 acres, the Barony of Nazareth, were selected. Under the medieval system of land grants Charles II granted to William Penn, Letitia owed her brothers allegiance (the father was then deceased and they took over the 'business'), which was paid in the form of one red rose every year on June 24th. Hence, Repayment Day's date and rose.

According to the release:
The Nazareth Rotary Club will sell individually wrapped red roses with a commemorative card at various establishments throughout the town. Nazareth florists, including Lynn's Florist, Nazareth Floral Designs and Donohoe Farms, have helped to support this new tradition. Each rose sells for $3.50. Proceeds from the rose sale will benefit the Nazareth Downtown Revitalization Plan.

Sale sites include: Nazareth Center circle, Nazareth YMCA, KNBT on Broad Street, Moravian Hall Square retirement community, Nazareth 7-Eleven and Bajan's market.

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