Gunter Phillips is learning life lessons like financial responsibility and the importance of charitable giving at only 9 years old through his experience selling zinnias at his parents’ freshly bloomed garden.
Gunter made more than $200 selling flowers at $5 per bunch last week and headed back out for his second day of work Tuesday, his mother Kathryn Phillips said. This experience has given Gunter the opportunity to learn how to make change, she said, both for customers and across the world.
“This is really the first money he’s ever actually earned,” Kathryn said. “… (He’s) learning life lessons about working hard and (we’ve taught him to) save some, give some (and) spend some.”
The garden, located at 110 Second Ave. N., was planted on a lot that housed Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church for more than a century before changing hands in 2000 to Christ Missionary Baptist Church.
A few years ago, the Phillips family bought the lot in hopes of repurposing it, Kathryn said, as the church had fallen into disrepair and only had one living member left. With the consent of the remaining member and the blessing of a preacher, they tore down the church to make way for new life.
“We were just trying to think of something that would be nice that could beautify downtown because it’s in such a busy part of (Columbus),” Kathryn said.
They planted zinnias in 2024, but the crop was unsuccessful. After testing the soil and getting a specialized fertilizer, they planted seeds again this April which resulted in blooms appearing about a month ago, Kathryn said.
“It’s still not exactly where I want it to be,” Gunter’s father Bob Phillips said. “It’s got a lot of grass in it and they came up spotty, but in areas … they’re pretty thick, so yeah there’s been a learning curve.”
One day while Kathryn and Gunter tended to the flowers, he suggested they sell them. Kathryn said that wasn’t the initial intention of the garden, but she thought it would be a great way for Gunter to learn about making money and using it responsibly.
“We were just going to plant them and let people enjoy them driving by,” Kathryn said. “… (He suggested selling them) and I thought that (was) actually a great idea for him. It would be his first little job, and I just thought it’d be a really cute way for him to make some money.”
This summer hustle also allowed Kathryn to discuss the importance of donating to charity with Gunter, she said. She suggested that he donate 10% of his profits to a charitable organization in India that their church partners with, but he decided to donate 25%, she said.
First Methodist Church of Columbus partners with Gospel Trumpets Ministries, a nonprofit in Hyderabad, India, that provides children with meals, schooling and access to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, Kathryn said.
“It’s a really good opportunity and I think that when people heard about that, even more people bought them,” Kathryn said.
Gunter said selling flowers has been fun so far and while he’s enjoyed giving back to charity, he’s also excited to buy things with his own money.
“I’m thinking about buying an electric scooter,” Gunter said. “I live out in the country so (I’d probably ride it) out in the grass, … and I’ll make sure to go a little bit fast.”
Bob said he hopes this experience gives Gunter a chance to put in some work and see some rewards. He said they’ve received multiple calls from Columbus residents saying they love the zinnias, and their family plans to continue planting flowers each year until they decide what to do with the lot.
“We want Columbus to be as beautiful as it can be and it’s just something small that we thought we could do,” Kathryn said. “We truly hope that everyone in town and in the whole Golden Triangle enjoys it and that it just brings a little brightness to everybody’s day when they drive by it.”
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