BCRF offers their partners the unique opportunity to fund a researcher if they donate $250,000 within BCRF’s fiscal year; they encourage the partner to weigh in on which researcher they’d like their funds to support. Proven Winners ColorChoice suggested a North Carolina-based researcher in homage to the state where Invincibelle Spirit hydrangea was developed. Drs. Tom Ranney and Richard Olsen created Invincibelle Spirit hydrangea at NCSU’s Mountain Horticultural Crops Research Center with pollen collected from Hydrangea arborescens growing wild in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Since Proven Winners ColorChoice Flowering Shrubs introduced the plant in 2009, $1 from every Invincibelle Spirit hydrangea sold has been donated to BCRF. Hundreds of garden centers across the US and Canada have contributed to the cause by hosting their own Pink Day fundraisers.

Dr. Anders’ BCRF-funded research focuses on new therapies for triple negative breast cancer, an especially aggressive form of the disease. TNBC is associated with a high rate of recurrence and low survivorship. Dr. Anders’ research embodies the translational approach championed by BCRF: that promising laboratory research should beget clinical trials. Her work shows especially encouraging results for women who have experienced brain metastasis, a common occurrence with TNBC diagnoses.

“We are so excited to show gardeners who have planted an Invincibelle Spirit hydrangea and the garden centers who have hosted Pink Days that their efforts are truly bearing fruit,” says Tim Wood, director of marketing for Proven Winners ColorChoice, “Supporting the work of Dr. Anders is a poignant testament to the power of the garden and nursery industry.”

For more information, please contact Shannon Springer at shannon@springmeadownursery.com.

Raise over $250,000 in one year, funding a scientist’s research project

GRAND HAVEN, Michigan – August 20, 2012: Invincibelle® Spirit hydrangea, along with Pink Day fundraisers hosted by garden centers across the U.S. and Canada, have met a significant fund raising goal in their support of The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. After raising over $250,000 in one calendar year, their donation will fund an entire medical research project in 2013.

The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, the beneficiary of the funds raised, offers their partners a unique opportunity. If $250,000 is donated through the partnership within a twelve month period, the money is earmarked to fund one of BCRF’s researcher’s work for a year. The partner works with the organization to select which researcher their funds will support, based on geographical location and researchers who are still available for funding.

Proven Winners ColorChoice Shrubs has been a BCRF partner since the introduction of Invincibelle Spirit hydrangea in 2009. As long as it has been on the market, $1 from each plant sold has been donated to BCRF. With its introduction came Pink Days, fund raising events for independent garden centers, along with their customers and community, to raise money for breast cancer research. Though donations from the campaign are at nearly half a million dollars, 2012 was the first year that the $250,000 in a single year mark was met.  “We are so grateful to all the gardeners and garden centers around North America that have helped contribute to this incredible achievement,” says Tim Wood, director of marketing for Proven Winners ColorChoice Shrubs, “Funding a researcher’s work is the perfect way to show everyone who has purchased Invincibelle Spirit or hosted or attended a Pink Day that their money is truly making a difference. Who knows? Maybe the research we fund will be the key to the cure!”

The name, location, and institutional affiliation of the researcher will be decided in September 2012 and will be announced in October 2012 for breast cancer awareness month. The announcement will be made at the newly redesigned Invincibelle Spirit website (www.InvincibelleSpirit.net), at Facebook.com/InvincibelleSpirit, and by press release.

For more information, contact Shannon Springer, 616-223-3368, shannon@springmeadownursery.com

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Proven Winners ColorChoice is the brand name of Spring Meadow Nursery, Inc., a market leader in flowering shrubs, potted liners and starter plants. Located in Grand Haven, Mich., the. Spring Meadow Nursery has over 500 varieties in their catalog, including more than 100 varieties marketed under the Proven Winners® ColorChoice® brand, including Incrediball® Hydrangea, ‘Limelight’ Hydrangea, Pinky Winky™ Hydrangea, My Monet™ Weigela, Little Henry® Itea, Wine & Roses® Weigela, Quick Fire® Hydrangea and Invincibelle® Spirit Hydrangea. For more information, visit www.colorchoiceplants.com and www.springmeadownursery.com.

Spring is for planting! And since Invincibelle Spirit hydrangea is sold as a container-grown shrub, you can get one planted easily, by yourself, in just one hour or less.

The most important thing is to select the right site – Invincibelle Spirit and other smooth hydrangeas like ‘Annabelle,’ Incrediball®, or White Dome®, all need at least 4 hours of uninterrupted sunlight each day, ideally in the morning. This helps the plant develop the best flower color and the strongest stems.

Got questions about growing Invincibelle Spirit or another hydrangea? Ask us!

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