Moody Clinic poinsettia sale under way

What: Moody Clinic Poinsettia Sale

Where: First United Methodist Church, 1225 Boca Chica Blvd.

When: Delivery days, Wednesday, Dec. 2, and Tuesday, Dec. 15

For information call: (956) 542-8504

The first shipment in Moody Clinic’s 12th Annual Poinsettia Sale is due to arrive in Brownsville next week, helping to raise funds for special needs children who receive rehabilitative services at the clinic.

"There’s still time to order," said Liz Harris, community liaison at the clinic. "When people start seeing the plants, they usually say, ‘Oh, it’s time to order.’ We’re about halfway to our goal." The clinic hopes to sell as many as 1,500 poinsettias this year, she said.

Delivery days are scheduled Wednesday and Dec. 15 at First United Methodist Church, 1225 Boca Chica Blvd.

The Moody Clinic Poinsettia Sale has become famous for its florist-quality plants. This year the poinsettias come from Peterson Brothers Nursery in San Antonio, which only sells to florists. The plants are 18 inches tall, with eight to 10 blooms each and available in red.

Proceeds benefit the special needs children who receive services at the clinic, which for 57 years has provided physical, occupational, speech and language therapy to children from birth to age 21 regardless of ability to pay.

"We get to see the children when they need us most," said Debbie Sears, executive director of the clinic. "We literally get to do what’s right for the child."

The clinic serves children with a wide range of disorders, according to its Web site, including cerebral palsy, spina bifida, Down syndrome, and autism spectrum disorders. Each patient receives a private 30-minute session twice a week.

"I love what I do," Sears said. "It makes a difference in the lives of children and I just appreciate this community for allowing us" to help these children and families.

The Moody Clinic receives funding from United Way, but not nearly enough to operate, Sears said. The clinic receives private donations and does other fundraising, but the poinsettia sale is one of its biggest fundraisers of the year.

For the first time this year, poinsettias can be ordered online with a credit or debit card at www.moodyclinic.org. Customers can also order by calling (956) 542-8504, by e-mail at moodyclinic@moodyclinic.org or by printing out an order form from the Web site and faxing it to (956) 542-6510.

Orders of 20 or more plants will be delivered free of charge.