| Livestrong
Bracelets More than a Fad
By Tyree Barnette
Doing the right thing can sometimes be as
easy as choosing what to wear. There’s more to the wristbands craze
sweeping the nation than just fashion.
“Livestrong:” it’s the
word branded across these yellow wristbands.
But what does this phrase really mean?
“I just look at it as living strong
for people that are suffering when I have
a pretty good life compared to what some
people go through,” said one University
student.
Junior Brandon Parker wears his livestrong
wristband in remembrance of loved ones.
“My uncle passed away this past summer,” said
Parker. “He died from leukemia. Then
my mom passed away in December, and that
just reaffirmed again that I'll wear this
everyday for her—livestrong, basically,
regardless of the situation.”
Nike and the Lance Armstrong Foundation
launched the Wear Yellow Livestrong Campaign
last May. Every dollar from the sale of the
wristbands goes toward the foundation’s
programs to help those with cancer lead normal
lives.
And now UNC-CH’s Dance Marathon has
its own wristband to raise money for the
North Carolina Children’s Hospital.
They only cost $2, and one of the places
you can purchase them is Chapel Hill Sportswear.
Store manager Holly Dedmond says customers
are happy to buy the wristbands for a good
cause.
“When people find out that the money
does go to charity, they have a tendency
to buy more than one bracelet,” said
Dedmond. “So, it's definitely raising
a lot of money.”
Julia Shalen, Dance Marathon coordinator,
says the livestrong campaign actually inspired
the urge to create the “turn it blue” wristbands.
“Michael Beal, who's worked with us
on other fundraising opportunities and helped
us out throughout the years, had come up
with this idea kind of in response to the
Lance Armstrong bands and had talked to Nike
about putting this together,” Shalen
said.
Athletes already sport their “blues,” as
do students. Money raised goes to support
not only the Children’s Hospital but
UNC athletics as well.
You can also purchase the "turn it
blue" wristbands at University basketball
games. The Dance Marathon starts this
Friday at 7 p.m.
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