POULSBO — The Poulsbo Rotary needs a good home for 15,600 roses.

And it has a good cause to sweeten the deal.

The civic club’s annual rose sale kicked off this week. Freshmen Rotarians, who spearhead the sale, have set a goal of 1,300 dozen roses sold, 100 more than last year’s total of 1,200 dozen. The deadline to order a dozen roses for $20 is Oct. 21 and the bouquets will be delivered Oct. 28-30.

“The roses are wonderful,” sale organizer Mary Graves said. “They’re 20- to 22-inch stems, they’re all in gift boxes and there’s a gift card available.”

The event is the second largest fund-raiser for the club and funds everything from food for Poulsbo’s Fishline Food Bank, to North Kitsap High School scholarships and the first domestic violence transition house in North Kitsap. And when they’re not busy in their own community, local Rotarians also support work abroad such as helping to eradicate polio internationally and supporting farmers in rural Vietnam.

“It all goes to a good cause. There’s a whole list of things we’re involved with,” Graves said.

And while it’s hard to say how the community will respond to the sale, Graves said her enthusiastic team has a good feeling they’ll meet their goal this year. That’s because besides helping out a good cause, she said the rose sale is a great chance for folks to thank the people who mean the most to them.

“What’s great about this sale is that this time of year, there’s no particular reason to be buying them other than to thank business partners, business vendors, people who brought you business, employees and there’s always family and sweethearts and guy friends,” Graves explained.

The club has set up a special phone number that community members can call to order roses. Interested people are advised to call (360) 697-3000 and leave a message with their name, phone number and how many dozen they want. A Rotarian will call back to confirm delivery dates and locations.