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Awareness bands set trend
Adam Eickerman
Mesa Legend
They are yellow, blue, red, and various other colors, and plenty
of students are wearing them on their wrists to make a statement.
At only $1 each, it does not seem like it could save anyone’s
life, but if millions of them are sold it has the possibility of
making a huge difference for people living with cancer.
Students are wearing the Lance Armstrong Foundation’s LIVESTRONG
wrist band to promote cancer awareness.
“A customer who buys a wrist band from any other location might
be buying a counterfeit wrist band or, if they pay more than $1,
providing a profit to the seller that will not benefit the
LAF,” said Michelle Milford, the Associate Director of Public
Relations for the LAF.
The only authorized dealers of the LIVESTRONG wrist bands are Niketown,
Nike outlet, Nikewoman, Discovery Channel Stores and, for a limited
time, Build-a-Bear Workshops, and also the LAF and Nike’s
WearYELLOW web sites, according to Milford.
The fake wrist bands may not be easy to spot, but buying them at
authorized dealers limits the chance of purchasing one that is not
authentic.
“We are now at approximately 31 million wrist
bands sold,” Milford stated.
Justin Miller, who is in his second semester at MCC, said he got
his LIVESTRONG wrist band from Student Life and Leadership.
“To show support and to support cancer research”, Miller
explained as to why he wears the yellow band.
Miller said that even though he did not pay for his wrist band,
he still would have bought one on his own if it had not been given
to him.
Money raised by the LAF foundation through the wrist bands goes
to public education and awareness of the disease.
A portion of the funds raised also goes to cancer research.
The LIVESTRONG band seems to have started the trend and there are
plenty of similar bands in varying colors with different sayings
on them such as “Support Our Troops” and “Never
Forget” referencing the September 11 attacks on the World
Trade Center.
Many Circle K gas stations carry “Tsunami Relief Effort”
and “Breast Cancer” wristbands for 99 cents, while Bashas
carries “Support Our Troops” band for $1.99.
These wrist bands are distributed through Novelty, Inc., of Greenfield,
Indiana.
“Ten percent of sales go to relief efforts. Money is put into
the trust funds and then donated,” said Gene Hamilton of Novelty,
Inc.
Beth Bromert, an MCC student, purchased a yellow “Support
Our Troops” wrist band at a local Bashas to show her support.
“It’s a nice way of showing the troops that we are behind
them,” said Bromert.
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