A GoFundMe.com campaign to help the
Washington florist who was fined for refusing to provide flowers for
a gay couple's wedding has raised more than $123,000.
In February 2013, Barronelle Stutzman,
the owner of Arlene's Flowers & Gifts in Richland, refused to
serve Robert Ingersoll when he attempted to purchase flowers for his
upcoming marriage to now-husband Curt Freed. Stutzman said that
providing the service would be a violation of her faith.
Benton County Superior Court Judge Alex
Ekstrom found Stutzman guilty of violating the state's
anti-discrimination and consumer protection laws and gave her 60 days
to pay a $1,000 fine, plus $1 for court costs and fees.
The
campaign has raised $123,602 from 3,323 donors as of Tuesday
morning. While the page was set up in February, it received a big
boost this week from a similar campaign for Memories Pizza, the
Indiana pizzeria that vowed
not to cater a gay wedding. More than $842,000 was raised for
the eatery in two days.
The campaign's organizer said that the
money would be used to “protect her and her livelihood.”