Fundraising Ideas

There are many types of wristbands that are popular in today’s fashion and one such are the silicone wristbands which was made popular by the famous sportsperson and cyclist Lance Armstrong when he started with his campaign against cancer and the Lance Armstrong Foundation was formed to raise funds for cancer research and to increase awareness of cancer. This particular wristband, as popularized by Lance Armstrong, helped to bring other various silicone wristbands and gel bracelets into being and these stand for political causes as well as for other charity champaigns.

The yellow wristband that he wore is known throughout the world as the Livestrong Wristband and it was back in the month of May, 2004 that the world came to know of it. Silicone wristbands were produced by Nike and their ad agency. A huge number of contenders of the Tour de France of 2004 wore the band and later it was seen that John Kerry along with Matt Damon and many other famous Olympic athletes wore the band to make a point as the world witnessed. When Lance Armstrong featured in the Oprah Winfrey show she along with her audience and the Harpo studio staff wore the band for the same noble cause – in order to make people aware of cancer.

Later on, in the year 2005 silicone wristbands became even more famous with the Make Poverty History campaign where a white silicone bracelet or wristband was worn by almost every famous Hollywood celebrity from Brad Pitt to Cameron Diaz, from Bono to Kylie Minogue and they were all seen wearing the silicone bracelet in the advertisement which was specially made for this campaign. The Live Aid 2005, which was broadcasted on live television all over the world and was viewed by 400 million people helped to popularize this white wristband.

Ever since then the silicone wristband has become a sign of a noble cause and some campaign or the other. It is like a fashion symbol just like the red ribbon which signifies un-AIDS. Blue wristband stands for diabetes, pink one for breast cancer, green for kidney donation, ocean blue mixed with white stands for the Hurricane Katrina, red for AIDS and is only meant for Africa. These silicone wristbands are known as awareness bands or awareness bracelets and the colors of the band denotes the cause of it.

Today silicone wristbands are available in the market places and online sites like eBay and this has made the silicone bracelets a fashion item. These bands were invented to denote a noble cause – a campaign that is meant to make the world and its people aware of the cause. Many people, all around the world, do buy these bands to support the noble causes indeed and while buying the silicone wristbands they keep in mind the concept of supporting the noble campaign for which it stands.