KSHB 41 reporter Olivia Acree covers portions of Johnson County, Kansas, including Olathe and Lenexa. Share your story idea with Olivia.
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A Prairie Village mom is making sure women experiencing grief or infertility feel seen on Mother's Day.
Shelby Bartelt founded The Peony Project four years ago after experiencing infertility and multiple miscarriages while trying to grow her family.
"I remember how isolating and alone it felt on Mother's Day when you're kind of walking through that," Bartelt said.
On a Mother's Day that felt especially lonely, her mother-in-law gave her a bunch of peonies — too many to keep for herself. She delivered bouquets to moms in Prairie Village and has kept the tradition going ever since.
"My intention in doing this was really to say, you're seen, and you are loved, whether you have children or are still navigating that. I think for women to feel acknowledged on a day that can be so celebratory is really important to me," Bartelt said.
Bartelt and her team of volunteers are delivering about 70 bouquets to women later today. She has built the project solely from donated vases, neighbors' gardens, and a few people willing to spend their Mother's Day giving back.
"It's been really impactful to see how many people want to be a part of this project," Bartelt said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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