Township 7 Winery & Quadriplegic Artist Robb Dunfield Partner on Inspirational Wine Project

New “Dunfield Collection” to Benefit the Rick Hansen Foundation for Spinal Cord Research

Township 7 Vineyards & Winery and quadriplegic artist Robb Dunfield have collaborated on a new premium Meritage wine to support spinal cord research in BC. The label for the “Dunfield Collection” release features artwork from Robb Dunfield’s painting, “Visions of Possibilities”. The winery will donate partial proceeds from the sale of the wine to the Rick Hansen Foundation. A highly acclaimed British Columbia winery, Township 7 produces handcrafted wines in small lots from the finest vineyards in the Okanagan and Fraser Valley.

The Dunfield Collection is a premium Bordeaux style blend comprised of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc crafted from grapes grown on the renowned Black Sage Road in Oliver, BC. Under 200 cases were produced and the wine will retail for $34.99, which is a “cellar door” exclusive, only at the winery and online at www.township7.com.

“After meeting Robb I was inspired by his positive attitude and incredible ability to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles to achieve so much. I wanted to find a way to help and giving back to the community is just what I do, it is part of my business DNA,” said Mike Raffan, Proprietor Township 7 Vineyards & Winery. “His artwork is reflective of the passion we put into making the best wines we can, and this project is for a great local cause that we are truly proud to support.”

At age 19 a tragic accident left Robb a ventilator-dependent quadriplegic. His home became an eight-by-eight foot stall in a hospital room. It was in the hospital confines however that he discovered what true strength and true ability are. The lessons he learned in that bleak space have changed the lives of thousands; providing a pioneering vision for the creation of independent living facilities for people with high level disabilities. In his new environment, Robb learned to mouth paint,
producing beautiful outdoor scenes influenced by the works of Emily Carr and Tom Thompson. Today Rob continues his career as an artist, a motivational speaker and a Senior Coordinator for the Rick Hansen Foundation. In what may be his last painting, “Visions of Possibilities”, this amazing 6 x 8 foot work of art depicts Robb’s two daughters on the beach in English Bay. The painstaking painting process for such a large piece of mouth paint art required the creation of special easels and took over three years to complete. It was unveiled and will forever
hang at the new Blusson Spinal Cord Centre in Vancouver, BC.

“My artwork has opened the doors for many exciting and wonderful projects, but creating the "Dunfield Collection" label with Township 7 will always be a crowning achievement. I knew the first time I spoke with Mike Raffan, that our vision of creating a unique, high quality vintage series was a passion we both conspired to,” said Robb Dunfield. “I believe that fine art and fine wine have a special relationship in that both are created through a common thread of inspiration.”

ABOUT THE RICK HANSEN FOUNDATION
Established in 1988, the Rick Hansen Foundation is a registered charitable organization that works to create more accessible and inclusive communities for people with spinal cord injury, and supports the search for a cure. The Foundation achieves its goals by connecting the people and resources that make innovation possible. To date, the Rick Hansen Foundation has had an impact of over $200 million in the field of spinal cord injury in Canada. On March 21, 2010, Rick Hansen and his team will launch the 25th Anniversary of the Man In Motion World Tour, marking the beginning of yet another 25 years of work towards the achievement of big dreams. www.rickhansen.com

ABOUT TOWNSHIP 7 VINEYARDS & WINERY
Founded in 2001, Township 7’s acclaimed handcrafted wines are produced in small lots from the best vineyards from our privately owned winery on the Naramata Bench, in the south Okanagan Valley, and from vineyards at our winery in the Fraser Valley. Our boutique winery is committed to creating exceptional wines that are complex, flavourful and well balanced. The Langley wine shop is housed in the beautiful south Langley countryside in a quaint building reminiscent of the many riding stables in the neighbourhood. Our Okanagan wine shop is surrounded by 7 acres of vines on the picturesque Naramata Bench and offers visitors the opportunity to see the workings of the winery first hand. Both
locations are open year round.

Media Contact:
Mike Raffan, Proprietor
Township 7 Vineyards & Winery
c 250.486.3236, mike@township7.com