Spring Break
Wristbands still charitable, fashionable with students
By: Milinda Wilson
Staff Reporter
Some other wristbands and what they stand for are
- Red for AIDS/HIV awareness, heart disease and Mothers Against Drunk Driving
- Orange for cultural diversity, hunger awareness, leukemia, lupus and melanoma
- Yellow for The Lance Armstrong Foundation and cancer research, bladder cancer, liver disease, spina bifida and the military
- Green for bone marrow, depression, environment, glaucoma, kidney disease, kidney cancer, organ and tissue donation
- Blue for arthritis, anti-bullying, child abuse, colon cancer, free speech, Reye’s syndrome and teens against smoking
- Light blue for prostate cancer, thyroid disease and lymphedema
- Purple for domestic violence, Alzheimer’s, sexual assault, cystic fibrosis and lupus
- Grey for asthma, brain cancer, mental illness and diabetes
- Pink for breast cancer
- White for “Make poverty history”
- Black for “I did not vote for Bush,” hurricane victims and tsunami victims
While walking through campus, one can’t help but notice those brightly colored bracelets dangling from the wrists of many CMU students everyday.
Whether it’s supporting their favorite charity, showing school pride or just a word of inspiration or encouragement, those expressive bracelets have become a must-have fashion trend for many.
The trend began in July 2004 when cancer survivor and professional cyclist Lance Armstrong came up with an inexpensive yellow wristband to raise money for his charity, the Lance Armstrong Foundation.
Little did he know by selling these wristbands to help raise money for cancer research he would be starting a new trend—accessorizing for charity.
More than a year after beginning his Wear Yellow campaign, the Armstrong foundation has sold more than 50 million “Livestrong” wristbands, as of May 2005.
As one of the more popular wristbands seen around campus, the ‘Livestrong’ bracelet helps students stay trendy while helping out a good cause. Selling for $1 each - with 77 cents of every $1 going to cancer research and support programs - it is a cheap and easy way for college students to make a difference.
“Most everyone has been affected by cancer in one way or other,” said Suzanne Vesters, a freshman from Europe. “It’s a way for people to support the cause.”
Wearing the yellow bracelet is important, Vesters said, because many of her family and friends have had cancer.
Inspired by the Armstrong cause, numerous charities, organizations and companies have jumped on the bandwagon to sell their own versions of the rubber wristbands. Name a cause or company and there is probably a bracelet representing it. And if not, one can be created and ordered from any number of Web sites specializing in the production of the bracelets.
“I wear my Armstrong wristband to show support for cancer research,” said Mallory Decker, Macomb sophomore. “I want to support the organization because my aunt has breast cancer.”
Wristbands can be found for sale in department stores like Wal-Mart, Target or Meijer; online at any number of Web sites; or even at the CMU Bookstore.
Climax freshman Cody Furney wears four different bracelets.
“I have a yellow ‘Livestrong’ one my mom gave me, a pink breast cancer one, a maroon ‘Central’ one and an orange one I got during Leadership Safari that says ‘Inspire By Example,’” Furney said.
On a trip to New York City, Davison senior John Robinson visited the Statue of Liberty and purchased his light blue ‘Liberty’ bracelet.
“I decided to buy this bracelet because I hadn’t really seen a bracelet this color before and I liked the saying on it,” Robinson said. “You have a lot of free liberties in the United States; this bracelet reminds me of that.”
Elisha Dunn, Commerce Township freshman, wears a black and white ‘No Zebras’ bracelet she got at the end of the ‘No Zebras’ presentation presented by the Sexual Aggression Peer Advocates organization on campus.
“I wear this bracelet because I felt a connection with what they where saying in their presentation,” Dunn said. “Too many people ignore what happens when it comes to rape and laugh about it. I want to show my support by helping spread the word.”
