Numerous Bakersfield residents lined up at the corner of 19th street on Sept. 7 to receive free roses on “Good Neighbor Day.”

For the ninth year, local Log Cabin Florist gave away roses by the dozen to anyone who visited the shop.

Bruce Terry, 41, was the first person in line. He was waiting in line since 5:30 a.m. Terry has been attending the event since the first year and has always wanted to be first in line.

There is only one catch to the free flowers. Jerry and Terry Beckwith and Dawn Baumgarten, owners of the shop, ask all participants to give 11 of the roses – keeping one for themselves – to other people as a way of celebrating goodwill.

Natalie Martinez, 36, and daughter Jordan Martinez, 9, have made Good Neighbor Day an annual tradition for the past eight years.

Both share their roses with teachers, co-workers and neighbors.

“My teachers feel really happy when they receive their rose,” Jordan said.

“Good Neighbor Day” is held the first Wednesday of September every year.

In 1994, Brook Jacobs, a florist in Jackson, Miss., came up with an idea to give away a dozen roses to each person who visited his shop. He gave away 15,000 roses.

Ever since 1997, Log Cabin Florist has been participating in the event.

Last year, they gave away 26,000 roses. This year, they gave away 27,000.

All of the roses are purchased from Columbia because it is the only place that can produce and provide such a large number of roses in such a short amount of time, said Baumgarten.

The roses are picked up and prepared on the Sunday prior to the event.

Barbara Timberlake, Gay Monroe, Alice Dang, Jeanette Ransom, Lilian Rippy and Betty Wachob, all of who are Kern County Rose Society members, have all been volunteering for the past eight years preparing and wrapping every dozen roses.