In a Nutshell, What is a
Ribbon of Hope Garden?
It is a simple community-based garden project every city and town can create to fight cancer.
Plant hundreds of flowers in the shape of a Ribbon of Hope, taking pledges for each flower in memory of someone who has lost the fight to cancer.
Then donate 100% of these pledges to a needy and worthy cancer cause. Possibilities include research, a van to transport seniors to cancer care, equipment for a hospice, detection equipment for a local hospital ... wherever funds are needed most.
We hope to see hundreds or more towns across Canada and the USA join in this 100% volunteer concept, sending every dollar raised directly to fight cancer.
Evolution of this Concept
On March 9th, 2011, Mar’s pathology reports confirmed she was cancer free! It had been an emotional roller coaster ride from early diagnosis, to surgery and then recovery.
In wanting to thank and pay back, we decided to create this innovative fundraiser, a memorial garden in the shape of a ribbon of hope. We planned to do one in Hamilton in 2011 as a pilot, then challenge every city and town in Canada and the USA to do one too in the years to come!
Imagine if every plant in every memorial garden across our nations took a monetary pledge in memory of someone who lost the battle against cancer. As you will see below, 1,000 of these community-based gardens across Canada and the USA could raise $10, 15, 20 or more millions of dollars annually for cancer.
With years of personal gardening and horticultural experience, the idea of doing a huge Ribbon of Hope garden of yellow marigolds evolved.
By locating it adjacent to the Queen Elizabeth Way, for four months every year this large, blooming message of hope would be visible to an estimated 50 million people!
Our pilot year is so important; to both prove it can be done and to help other cities and towns with the impetus and ideas on how to do their own floral Ribbon of Hope in the future.
A Photoshop Idea of What Will Appear
"I Have a Dream"
These words by Martin Luther King changed and improved America forever. Since then, they are often used by visionaries.
Our FLORAL Ribbons of Hope are such a vision. Many will be needed to maximize this dream.
We foresee FLORAL Ribbons of Hope being planted annually across Canada and the USA, by the hundreds, hopefully thousands.
To the viewers they will represent HOPE for whatever they are praying for: perhaps a military family or friend overseas, a missing child, or in our case, HOPE to stop the cancer pandemic, from caring to curing.
To those organizations largely dependent on philanthropic generosity, the Ribbons of Hope could become a major donor.
To many in need of a therapeutic outlet after the loss of a loved one, their participation in the planting and maintenance will be invaluable. Having a plant growing all summer every year in the memory of their loved one will be huge.
Ribbons of Hope will become garden sanctuaries of peace and grace, a place to go and reflect on Loved Ones.
Another benefit will be the opportunity to meet and share memories with others.
Every hamlet, town, and city's Mayor should jump on this concept, challenging his/her citizens to organize and plant one. They will be beautifying an oft unused patch of ground at no cost. Mayors could start by challenging their Service, horticultural and garden clubs to provide the impetus.
This is a win/win/win for all.
Imagine with us!
We dream Ribbons of Hope will be the seed for:
- Research labs developing the cures for all cancers.
- Buy vans to help people to their cancer treatment appointments.
- Provide desperately needed equipment for hospices.
- Finance cancer awareness campaigns.
- Help subsidize make-a-wish campaigns.
- The need for financial assistance is endless!
What is the Potential and
Worth of Ribbons of Hope?
Intangibly, as noted above, their therapeutic value could become priceless, as they forever memorialize countless loved ones.
Tangibly, and of interest to Health Care and other organizations, always in need of funds, the Ribbons of Hope could become invaluable annual revenue streams.
At this point, anything is possible. We foresee our pilot raising $16,000, (we have a researcher in Hamilton desperately in need of lab equipment costing that amount).
Therefore annually, if a large city such as Hamilton, Ontario accommodates ten Ribbons of Hope, $160,000 could be raised for one or more non-profit organizations.
Extrapolating those projections across North America, for every 1,000 Ribbons of Hope planted annually, $16 million could be raised.
Proposed Pilot Project - 2011
The hill in the photoshopped image above is adjacent to the QEW/Red Hill junction, Hamilton, Ontario.
It has been photoshopped, (I apologize for the amateurish design), to represent the proposed, first-ever Ribbon of Hope. The photoshopped ribbon represents what would soon become approximately 1,000 beautiful yellow marigolds, blooming from July to October 2011, (until frost).
Based on Department of Transport statistics, combined with guesstimating an average of two occupants per vehicle, this Ribbon of Hope could be viewed 36,000,000 times during that four month period. However, considering that during this blooming period there will be busloads and cars of Niagara Falls-bound tourists, perhaps it could be 50 million or more.
Beyond the Pilot - 2012 and Later
With the experience of the pilot we could then proceed with The Mayor's Ribbons of Hope Challenge. Annually and indefinitely, the Mayor of Hamilton could challenge all Mayors throughout Canada and the USA to replicate our Ribbon of Hope.
With the advent of social networking and YouTube we are certain this challenge will spread like wildfire.
(NOTE TO MAYORS RE COST: Before we proceed further, know these enhancing Ribbons of Hope will cost host cities ZERO DOLLARS as they can be created by volunteering, fundraising gardeners and others who will benefit from the therapeutic value these Ribbons of Hope will bring to them.)
Cancer and Our Ribbons of Hope Concept
In 1981 I lost my mother Joyce to cancer. This was after a 14 year battle which started when I was a teen. Those close to me have known my life-long yearning and commitment to find a material way to help fight this pandemic. This is it!
During this past winter my wife Marilyn was diagnosed with cancer. We are breathing much easier. After an operation she has been declared cancer-free.
Through the spring we slowly developed the Ribbons of Hope concept. Thankfully, we have been encouraged by the extraordinary endorsements of those closest to us. We soon realized the significance of our idea and that this should spread North America-wide, raising millions of dollars annually.
The 2011 Hamilton Pilot
We hope to raise a minimum average of $16 per marigold, equating to $16,000 for this first Ribbon of Hope. To attain this goal, we will utilize media exposure, social networking, and if necessary, YouTube ... and perhaps sitting at a table in the hospital with tracts, explaining our purpose to solicit donations.
Extrapolate our planned success to say an eventual 1,000 towns and cities, (or EVERY borough in large cities!), also averaging our goal, and this becomes a concept that could raise $16 million per annum.
Creating Hamilton's Ribbon of Hope
Thankfully, with a background in floristry and gardening, I will be able to guide the Ribbon of Hope Pilot in its first year, all the while creating a 'Ribbon of Hope 101 Manual' for all future groups/fundraisers to follow, setting out marketing ideas, growing and planting tips and how we worked together as teams all summer and fall.
Supply is extremely inexpensive. In fact, for this pilot I have been growing the 1,000 marigolds at home, at a cost of less than $100.
Our press release will solicit volunteers. "Many hands make light work" is the perfect adage for planting and growing a marigold Ribbon of Hope. We hope to find 100 volunteers who will plant 10 marigolds each, then through the summer follow a schedule to help maintain and water the flowers. We foresee dividing up the ribbon into ten sections so that each section will have ten members, each entrusted with the maintenance and care.
To visit the Hamilton memorial garden one can hike the adjoining Red Hill Trail from Brampton Street, where there is lots of parking available. It is a short walk of approximately 500 metres.
Perhaps one day the City of Hamilton will be interested in locating some park benches at the site. Visitors could sit, admire the Ribbon of Hope, Lake Ontario, and think of their Loved One whose memory helped create this floral masterpiece. From this vantage point, if they arrive early enough, they will see the sun rise out of Lake Ontario.
And imagine that ... in raising a substantial amount for cancer we are beautifying our City, plus encouraging people to exercise and use the new adjoining trail!
It is a phrase oft used, but once again, we have a win/win for all in floral Ribbons of Hope.
Feedback
Please join, in any way you can. Our contact information is on the right hand side. Donate, bring a trowel, Captain a team, or maybe just send us a letter of encouragement to publish on this web site.
Thanks so much for caring, reading, critiquing ... and maybe soon planting and watering alongside me!
Together we can and will beat cancer!
Mike
Founder
Hamilton, OntarioNow imagine THOUSANDS of these blooms, on hillsides and in fields all over North America earning millions of dollars a year for charity, each and every plant being in memory of a Loved One. We know this is what JFK meant! Pitch in and help to create one.
