Every year, carnations are sold by the RCHS Latin Club in celebration of Lupercalia, the Roman predecessor of Valentine’s Day. Students are selling the carnations during lunches from Feb. 3-12,
and they are customized to have a message in both English and Latin. The prices are one carnation for $3 or three carnations for $5. They are then delivered anonymously to students.
Valentine’s Day has many Latin origins. Latin Club sponsor Patrick Bradley talks about the history of Valentine’s Day in the Wildcat Weekly.
“Lupercalia was the Roman holiday that the Romans had before Valentine’s Day, and it turned into Valentine’s Day,” Bradley said.
The Latin Club has been selling carnations for over 20 years, and senior Corinna Allen has been a part of this event for all four years of high school. Allen explains what Latin students did to prepare the carnations.
“During Latin Club meetings we delegate who can sell the carnations during lunches, then on the day we’re going to deliver we attach messages to them and hand them out,” Allen said.
Junior Sammy Eastwood also enjoys the fundraiser.
“It’s really fun to see positivity and joy spread throughout the school. It really is a unifying thing, and it’s great to see how happy some people are when they receive a carnation on delivery day. We’re glad to have the opportunity to make the school a better place,” Eastwood said.
Students will be walking from classroom to classroom on Friday, Feb. 13 to hand out the carnations to recipients. All proceeds will go to Latin Club parties and the annual Latin Convention trip in Richmond.
