STACEY LANTAGNE, OWNER of Crafters on Central, organizes terra cotta pots that will be painted and filled with flowers before being delivered to residents in area nursing homes on Earth Day. (Marguerite Lanthier/Daily News photo)

FLORENCE, Wis. — Stacey Lantagne, owner of Crafters on Central in Florence, Wis., was just looking for a small project to do for the community on Earth Day.

But with help from the community, her Growing Smiles for Seniors project has blossomed into something much larger.

Originally she planned to only deliver painted flower pots with flowers to the nursing home in Florence.

“I called to find out how many residents they had, and that met my budget. But then I thought maybe some other businesses would like to get in on this and we can do a few other nursing homes,” she said.

A simple post on Facebook led to a number of donations from businesses and individuals.

“I realized I don’t have to do everything alone. We have such an awesome community,” Lantagne said. “I’m opening up the space and kind of coordinating it. I didn’t even go to any businesses and door knock. I have enough following on my Facebook and people shared it and then people kept contributing.”

They originally received enough contributions for 320 plants to deliver to six area nursing homes. Last week they received a donation from the Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Iron Mountain to add the residents of Pinecrest Medical Care Facility in Powers to the project.

Spread Eagle Garden Center donated flowers — including impatiens, marigolds, snapdragons and zinnias — and provided a discount on potting soil.

Ace Hardward in Kingsford gave them the terra cotta pots at cost. Carrie Toretta-Partello of Coldwell Banker provided a donation to cover the cost of plastic drip trays for the pots. Other donations were provided by Italic Illustrator and Flutterby Photography.

Tina Johnson is painting and putting together several large pots that will be placed in community rooms at the nursing homes. Volunteers from the Glacial Gardners will oversee and help with planting.

Forty-five people have signed up to help paint and fill the pots during an event Wednesday. Another painting event is planned from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 21. Residents of all ages who would like volunteer to paint and fill pots can sign up on the link through the Crafters on Central Facebook page.

She also brought 96 pots to her daughter, Kelsey Newman, a family and consumer science teacher at Kingsford Middle School/High School. Some of her students and some art classes are going to paint pots.

“It’s volunteering for something good — a purpose,” she added.

Her goal was to have a plant for each resident. She will be delivering the plants on Earth Day.

“It’s just really exciting and I’m hoping that each year we can continue to build on this and grow,” she said.