Sunflower seeds sparking hope for East Palestine residents

The movement is called "Sunflowers for East Palestine," and it's sparking hope amongst neighbors in the community.

The movement is called "Sunflowers for East Palestine," and it's sparking hope amongst neighbors in the community.

YOU ARE EXACTLY RIGHT, SUNFLOWER HOURS ABSORB TOXINS ACCORDING TO EXPERTS AND EXPERTS SAY THEY DO IT IN A WAY THAT ONCE THOSE TOXINS ARE ABSORBED, THEY DON’T LEACH BACK INTO THE SOIL. THEY ALSO PROMOTE WILDLIFE AND SERVE AS A SYMBOL OF HOPE FOR A COMMUNITY THAT DESPERATELY NEEDS ONE. AMID TIMES OF UNCERTAINTY AND ANGER. SIGNS OF HOPE ARE BEGINNING TO SPROUT IN EAST PALESTINE. WE GOT SUNFLOWERS. SMOLDER. THAT’S DON ELDER. HE AND HIS WIFE OWNED SOUTHERN’S GREENHOUSE IN EAST PALESTINE. AND IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS, HE’S BECOME A SUNFLOWER AFICIONADO, IF YOU WILL. CHANNELING THE MASCOT FOUND AROUND EVERY CORNER IN HIS STORE. BUT SEVERAL WEEKS AGO, ONE OF OUR CUSTOMERS CALLED. HE HAS A HARDWARE STORE AND SAID, WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT SUNFLOWERS? I SAID, NOTHING. THEY SAID, WELL, SUNFLOWERS TAKE TOXINS OUT OF SOIL. THAT SAME DAY, HE RECEIVED A CALL FROM BROOKE GRAY. SHE’S NOT FROM EAST PALESTINE, BUT HAS A BACKGROUND IN HORTICULTURE. SHE WAS INSPIRED TO HELP. IT ORIGINALLY STARTED WITH REALLY SEEING THE TOXINS OR SOMETHING TO RELEASE SOME TOXINS FROM THE ENVIRON. AND THEN IT GREW INTO, WOW, LOOK HOW BEAUTIFUL PALESTINE IS GOING TO BE WHEN ALL OF THESE SUNFLOWERS ARE BLOOMING. AND IT’S A SYMBOL OF HOPE AND RENEWAL AND A SYMBOL FOR GOOD THINGS TO COME. FOR DON ELDER, WHO HAS PITTSBURGH ROOTS, BUT HAS CALLED HIS PALESTINE HOME FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS, WITH NO PLANS OF LEAVING. THAT MEANS MORE THAN ANYTHING. WE HAVE TO TURN THE CORNER AT SOME POINT. WHAT OUR BIG PROBLEM GOING FORWARD, IF THE ENVIRONMENT’S OKAY, IS PERCEPTION. THE PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT CONVINCED BY THE SCIENCE AND DON’T WANT TO COME HERE, DON’T SHOW UP HERE. WE’VE GOT TO TURN THAT AROUND IN THE SUNFLOWERS WILL CERTAINLY BE A PART OF THAT. SO THE DUO ARE NOW COLLECTING SUNFLOWER SEEDS. IF YOU’D LIKE TO LEARN MORE, MAYBE HELP, MAYBE DONATE SOME SEEDS. WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION AVAILABLE FOR YOU AT WTAE DOT COM. THEY TELL US THEY WILL HAND OUT THOSE SEEDS TO RESIDENTS HERE IN EAST PALESTINE AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES LATER THIS SPRING. NOW, ALSO HAPPENING RIGHT NOW IN EAST PALESTINE, YOU CAN SEE IT BEHIND ME. PEOPLE ARE GATHERING FOR A PRAYER CIRCLE TONIGHT. AGAIN, ANOTHER SIGN OF HOPE THAT THIS COMMUNITY IS COMING TOGETHER, LEANING ON EACH OTHER IN THESE TOUGH TIMES. WE’LL HAVE MORE ON THAT PRAYER CIRCLE COMING UP TONIGHT AT 6:00.

Sunflower seeds sparking hope for East Palestine residents

The movement is called "Sunflowers for East Palestine," and it's sparking hope amongst neighbors in the community.

After the Ohio train derailment in East Palestine, there is a grassroots effort to fight back against potential lingering toxins. The movement is called "Sunflowers for East Palestine" and it's sparking hope amongst neighbors in the community. Don Elzer and his wife have owned Sutherin's Greenhouse for the last five years. On the outside of their shop is the store's logo, featuring a farmer holding a sunflower. Elzer says the logo has taken a new meaning since he started collecting sunflower seeds. In the weeks after the train derailment, he took a call from a horticulturist name Brooke Grabbe. Grabbe is located in Jerry City, Ohio, but knew she wanted to help. She suggested collecting sunflower seeds because sunflowers absorb toxins. "Theoretically, sunflowers are one of the few crops that will take toxins out of the ground as they grow. They suck the toxins up out of the ground," said Elzer. According to Grabbe, sunflowers absorb toxins from the environment and store them at a cellular level, meaning once absorbed the toxins won't leach back into the soil. You have to harvest the sunflowers, though, before the birds get to them because the toxins could transfer to the birds."You've got to pull the roots out, and you have to landfill everything so it doesn't grow again," said Elzer. Not only do they absorb toxins, but Grabbe says they also encourage wildlife and foster a sense of hope for neighbors. "It started with releasing the toxins or attempting to from the environment," said Grabbe. "It's grown into look how beautiful East Palestine will be when these sunflowers are blooming... it's a symbol of good things to come." Grabbe and Elzer are collecting donations of seeds which will be distributed to residents in East Palestine and surrounding communities later this spring. "We have to turn the corner at some point," said Elzer. "Our big problem going forward, if the environment's okay, is perception.... We've got to turn that around. And the sunflowers will certainly be a part of that."If you'd like to donate, you can reach out to the Greenhouse or Grabbe.

EAST PALESTINE, Ohio —

Don Elzer and his wife have owned Sutherin's Greenhouse for the last five years. On the outside of their shop is the store's logo, featuring a farmer holding a sunflower. Elzer says the logo has taken a new meaning since he started collecting sunflower seeds.

In the weeks after the train derailment, he took a call from a horticulturist name Brooke Grabbe. Grabbe is located in Jerry City, Ohio, but knew she wanted to help. She suggested collecting sunflower seeds because sunflowers absorb toxins.

"Theoretically, sunflowers are one of the few crops that will take toxins out of the ground as they grow. They suck the toxins up out of the ground," said Elzer.

According to Grabbe, sunflowers absorb toxins from the environment and store them at a cellular level, meaning once absorbed the toxins won't leach back into the soil. You have to harvest the sunflowers, though, before the birds get to them because the toxins could transfer to the birds.

"You've got to pull the roots out, and you have to landfill everything so it doesn't grow again," said Elzer.

Not only do they absorb toxins, but Grabbe says they also encourage wildlife and foster a sense of hope for neighbors.

"It started with releasing the toxins or attempting to from the environment," said Grabbe. "It's grown into look how beautiful East Palestine will be when these sunflowers are blooming... it's a symbol of good things to come."

Grabbe and Elzer are collecting donations of seeds which will be distributed to residents in East Palestine and surrounding communities later this spring.

"We have to turn the corner at some point," said Elzer. "Our big problem going forward, if the environment's okay, is perception.... We've got to turn that around. And the sunflowers will certainly be a part of that."

If you'd like to donate, you can reach out to the Greenhouse or Grabbe.

Sunflower seeds sparking hope for East Palestine residents

The movement is called "Sunflowers for East Palestine," and it's sparking hope amongst neighbors in the community.

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