[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 123 (Tuesday, July 18, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S2981]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                        RECOGNIZING BLOOM FLORAL

 Ms. ERNST. Mr. President, as ranking member of the Senate 
Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, each week I recognize 
an outstanding Iowa small business that exemplifies the American 
entrepreneurial spirit. This week, it is my privilege to recognize 
Bloom Floral of Algona, IA, as the Senate Small Business of the Week.
  Driven by her passion for designing floral arrangements, Kelsey 
Thompson founded Bloom Floral in 2011 to serve customers in Algona and 
the surrounding communities in North Iowa. Bloom Floral is a full-
service floral and gift shop that offers a one-stop shop for fresh 
flowers. In addition, the shop offers permanent botanicals, live 
plants, and home decor. Bloom Floral specializes in weddings and events 
with a passion for creating floral designs personalized for each 
customer. Kelsey and her staff travel all over north Iowa to provide 
wedding flowers, event setup, and rental items for wedding customers. 
Bloom Floral's design team has over 60 years of combined experience and 
is dedicated to providing the freshest flowers and top-level community 
service.
  In addition to teaching hands-on courses and mentoring other 
florists, Kelsey runs ``Petals & Profits,'' an online resource and 
content membership to help florists with business and marketing. 
Additionally, she produces a podcast called ``The Retail Florist'' that 
promotes her business and floral expertise. Kelsey is a nationally 
accredited designer and member of the Iowa Florists' Association. In 
addition to running Bloom Floral, Kelsey also serves as the president 
of the Algona Chamber of Commerce and sits on the Algona Retail 
Revolving Loan Fund committee. In September 2022, Kelsey won the first 
place award in the Sylvia Cup Design Competition at the annual Society 
of American Florists convention.
  Bloom Floral's continual commitment to supplying floral arrangements 
in Algona is outstanding. I want to congratulate Kelsey Thompson and 
the entire team at Bloom Floral for the passion and care they put into 
each and every arrangement, wedding, and workshop. I look forward to 
seeing their continued growth and success in Iowa.

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