Plant It Pink

National Garden Clubs ‘Plant It Pink’ In Support
Of Breast Cancer Awareness, Research

NGC Launches Nationwide Fundraising and Educational Partnership
With Susan G. Komen for the Cure®

Photo courtesy of Louisville Stoneware

ST. LOUIS – If a stroll around your neighborhood this spring and summer includes gardens with a pinker-than-usual palette--and maybe even a proudly pink birdhouse--don’t be too surprised. There’s a good chance that you’re simply witnessing the most visible aspect of the new Plant It Pink project developed by the 200,000-member-strong National Garden Clubs Inc. in partnership with Susan G. Komen for the Cure®, the world’s largest breast cancer organization. In fact, behind every NGC Plant It Pink garden is a multi-faceted initiative designed to support Susan G. Komen for the Cure’s mission to save lives and end breast cancer forever.

“As the largest volunteer organization of its type in the world, National Garden Clubs can be a powerful voice for positive action,” says Barbara D. May, president, National Garden Clubs Inc. “The Plant It Pink initiative is an outgrowth of our commitment to community service, which historically includes everything from conservation and beautification to therapeutic horticulture. With Plant It Pink, we effectively blend fundraising, education and a love of growing things--not only for their beauty, but to support healing in several ways.”

The Plant It Pink program has several components, May explains.

• Every donor receives a complimentary packet of pink dianthus flower seeds, educational materials on breast cancer provided by Komen and a personal thank-you suitable for display. The seeds, donated by W. Atlee Burpee & Co., are mailed in a unique Plant It Pink card, specially designed and donated by St. Louis artist Linda Solovic (www.lindasolovic.com), whose work includes children’s books and a variety of licensed products sold all over the world. Donations to Plant It Pink may be made by NGC members as well as any individual, group or organization at the NGC Web site at www.gardenclub.org or by calling 314-776-7574.
• Designer birdhouse sales also benefit effort. Jon Carloftis, noted garden designer, author, HGTV guest, and “rooftop garden designer to the New York stars,” has designed a custom ceramic birdhouse with Louisville Stoneware Co. especially for the Plant It Pink program. For every birdhouse sold, Louisville Stoneware will donate 10 percent of the selling price to Susan G. Komen for the Cure and five percent to NGC garden therapy programs that introduce horticultural therapy into various health care settings. The Plant It Pink birdhouse retails for $65 and can be purchased at www.louisvillestoneware.com or www.joncarloftis.com.
• Contests for Plant It Pink gardens planned. “As Plant It Pink takes off this year, we plan to encourage members to share their pink garden photos and horticultural designs through friendly competitions,” May says. Details will be posted on the NGC Web site.

National Garden Clubs Inc. is a not-for-profit organization that marks its 80th anniversary in 2009. With 6,300 member clubs across the U.S., NGC offers extensive educational programs and a variety of informative print and electronic publications and resources to promote gardening and environmental responsibility. NGC national partnerships include Open Your Heart and Hands, a landscaping effort with Habitat for Humanity International; and with the U.S. Forest Service, Penny Pines, which is dedicated to replanting damaged areas in state and national forests. NGC is headquartered in St. Louis, adjacent to the world-famous Missouri Botanical Garden.
For additional information or for assistance in scheduling a more in-depth interview with Barbara May on the above or on other timely gardening consumer-education topics, contact Patricia Binder, 636-441-0022, pbbinder@finkelco.com, or Debra Finkel, 314-878-1213, debfinkel@finkelco.com, Finkel & Binder Communications LLC, agent for National Garden Clubs Inc.

About Susan G. Komen for the Cure®

Nancy G. Brinker promised her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer forever. In 1982, that promise became Susan G. Komen for the Cure, which is now the world’s largest breast cancer organization and the largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer with more than $1.3 billion invested to date. For more information about Susan G. Komen for the Cure, breast health or breast cancer, visit www.komen.org or call 1-877 GO KOMEN.

Additional Plant It Pink partners and participants:

Louisville Stoneware Co., www.louisvillestoneware.com
Jon Carloftis, www.joncarloftis.com
W. Atlee Burpee & Co., www.burpee.com
Linda Solovic, www.lindasolovic.com

Download the Plant It Pink press release as a Word document.