Carolyn Johnson and Dominique Pfahl

San Franciscan philanthropists gathered at the historic InterContinental Mark Hopkins San Francisco on the crest of Nob Hill on Thursday, Aug. 5, for a luncheon packed with power, flower power, that is. The sixth annual “Flower Power” luncheon and floral design show benefited the “Back to School” program started by The Salvation Army, which provides school age children from low-income families with clothing and school supplies at no charge. “Flower Power” also contributes funds to after-school programs throughout the Bay Area.

The afternoon reception, which entailed a three-course lunch, silent auction, which featured premier luxury items, spa packages, and shopping extravaganzas, and an interactive floral design presentation by San Francisco floral designer Dominique Pfahl of Floréal L’Atelier, was co-hosted by Carolyn Johnson of ABC 7 News and put into action by the Flower Power committee: Sharon Myers, Chair, Leslie Bauer, Co-Chair, Betsy Chung, Nicole Farkas, Jennifer Hensic-Dal Bozzo, Judith Heuser, Fifi Holbrook, Rosa Hughes, Jeannine Vaughan. The successful event closed with a live-auction of the four signature arrangements Pfahl created during the luncheon.

Dominique Pfahl, originally from Nice, took her childhood spent picking wildflowers in Provence and translated it into a career at the forefront of the floral design industry. Her clients include Saks Fifth Avenue, Louis Vuitton, Salvatore Ferragamo, and Christian Dior. Choosing colorful seasonal flowers and drawing from traditional, rustic, organic, and tropical-Fusion themes, Pfahl showed guests the secrets to creating fresh floral designs at home. Highlights of the auction were a Shreve & Co. Watch, a weekend stay and spa gift certificate at Hotel Vitale, a two-night stay at the Cedar Gable Inn in Napa, an IPL treatment with consultation at The Maas Clinic, a two-hour design consult for custom cabinetry or built in furniture from The Kleid Design Group, and a SENSEsational Spa Splurge at The Rosewood Sand Hill Resort in Menlo Park.

The Bay Area and flowers have resonated in our ears since 1967 through the power of song, and in our hearts through The floral design fundraiser has been an annual staple event for The Salvation Army since 1999. Equipped with all the necessary tools to start school, The Salvation Army plays a crucial role in the academic lives of these children, giving them the confidence and pride they need to ensure a path to a successful school year. The largest, and only, program of its kind in San Francisco, each year The Salvation Army transforms its SoMa warehouse into a back to school wonderland filled with supplies. Families are designated personal shoppers who help them choose clothes and navigate the store.

Through The Salvation Army and the generous residents of the Greater San Francisco area, flowers do have the power to aide hundreds of low-income youth come Fall.

For more on The Salvation Army’s Sixth Annual Flower Power Luncheon and Floral Design Show, visit our Events Gallery.