FAIRPORT, N.Y. — ​They’re just about the only flowers blooming right now, and each one of them is handcrafted by a Fairport metal artist to help support local veterans.

Marc Gaiger is a metal artist who turns copper scraps into art. He’s been making copper roses for 20 years and donating sale proceeds to various organizations. The last several years he’s donated 100% of his copper rose sale proceeds to the Veterans Outreach Center in Rochester.

He is not a veteran, but his dad was.


What You Need To Know

  • Marc Gaiger is a metal artist in Fairport

  • He makes copper roses to raise money for the Veterans Outreach Center

  • The copper roses will be on sale for $25/$30 each Sat. Jan. 23 until Feb. 14 at the VOC Stars and Stripes store on South Ave. and Craft Company on University Ave. in Rochester

"He paid for his service after the fact for basically my whole life," said Gaiger. "I have seen the challenges and he was an epically inspirational man and always focused on what you do have and what you can do. If you have enough, if you’ve got two when you don’t need two, give one away. Try to enlighten somebody’s life."

Gaiger is an artist who hasn’t had an art show in more than a year due to the pandemic. Sure, he is selling some commissioned artwork, doing some welding and making adaptive pottery equipment to pay the bills. Somehow, he still manages to donate his time and materials with help from a couple of volunteers to sell his copper roses to support veterans.

"They’ve given it all. They’ve come back and paid huge prices so it’s the least we can do. You know what, with diligence and hard work this is a tradition that means everything to me so I’m not giving up," said Gaiger.

The copper roses will be on sale for $25/$30 each starting January 23, and will be available through February 14 at the VOC Stars and Stripes Flag Store at 455 South Ave., and Craft Company No. 6 at 785 University Ave. in Rochester.

To see more of Marc Gaiger's efforts, click here.