Look for the flower girl

As Valentine's Day creeps closer, one enterprising young Wrangellite plans to both fulfill a dream and try her hand at business. Sixth-grader Mercy Mikkelsen will be selling flowers outside Sentry Hardware and Marine Services on Feb. 13 and 14; single flowers, roses, and bouquets of roses arranged with baby's breath. "One of my favorite things to do in the summer in Wrangell is to pick wildflowers and make bouquets," she said. "I love everything about flowers. I love the way they smell, the way they look and the way they make me feel." She would like to someday own a floral shop, and the enterprise is a short step to making that a reality. Mercy's father, Roger Mikkelsen, is supporting her in the project. "I'm sponsoring her in this," he said. Depending on how things go, it may be the start of a local business, Stikine Stems. "We're kind of testing the market," Mikkelsen said. "This is kind of the beginning," his daughter added.