Everyone Can Commemorate Breast Cancer Awareness Month with Bead Jewelry
Emily, 9 (left), Elise, 6 (center), and Ellen Vilendrer, 7 (right) show off some of the Breast Cancer Awareness Bracelets they make.
I just realized it is more than halfway through October and I haven’t posted anything about this month being National Breast Cancer Awareness month! Last year I listed some great Breast Cancer Bead Jewelry resources that are still available this year.
There are lots of companies selling pink beads and jewelry, but I feel better supporting a smaller organization. And speaking of small companies selling bead jewelry for charity, check out this newspaper article about three little girls created their own bead jewelry business and they donate to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation! From an online article in The Daily Journal:
Nine-year-old Emily, 7-year-old Ellen and 6-year-old Elise make up 3E Creations. Their business is the epitome of not-for-profit: 100 percent of their earnings goes to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.
It all started with an address label.
Grandma had some stickers with the pink ribbon on them, said mom Kim Vilendrer, of Manteno. Her daughters asked what the ribbon meant, and their grandmother explained.
“It was enough motivation to take the cause up,” Vilendrer said.
The girls originally sold drinks outside their home to raise funds, but they wanted to make a little more moolah.
“We weren’t making much money selling pop on our dead-end street,” Emily said, “so we decided to make more money.”
…
From selling their $5 to $8 bracelets, $3 earrings and $10 necklaces, the girls have managed to send about $500 to breast cancer research. Ellen clutched two letters of thanks from Susan G. Komen.
Yep, they’re donating 100% of their profits to fighting Breast Cancer! It may not be “much” money yet, but their attitude is great and these little girls are learning how to create beautiful jewelry and they’re learning the value of giving at the same time! You don’t see the big companies doing that!
It’s actually hard to miss with all the “pink” things on sale all over the place. This got me to thinking about whether or not all this pink stuff is really helping the right cause or if it is just some sort of advertising gimmick for stores to make more money by abusing a good cause.
Apparently, I’m not alone in my skeptism! There is an entire website and campaign called “Think Before You Pink” which argues for people to think about giving directly to the organizations that help fight Breast Cancer instead of buying pink products which may be made with chemicals that CAUSE Breast Cancer!
That being said, I’m still going to support the creative effors of 3E Creations and their wonderful bead jewelry and philanthropy!
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Here are some other jewelry making articles you may like: Wire Jewelry Made Easy – with WigJig The Bead Peddler Updated and New Bead Jewelry Sites from The Beading Gem How To Make Seashell Jewelry Beads, Jewelry and Poetry all Mix With Beadshaper Rose Klapman |
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[...] about making them pink jewelry to wear in October. I’ve written about a number of places that make and sell commemorative breast cancer bead jewelry in the past and I encourage you to donate a portion of your sales to an appropriate charity if you [...]
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[...] As you undoubtedly know October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and a lot of products, including handcrafted bead jewelry, are promoted to raise money for breast cancer research. Each October I try to find and present some of those beaders and jewelry companies that are offering unique or outstanding items that may be of interest to anyone who has an interest in jewelry, beading and fighting breast cancer. A couple years ago I presented a list of breast cancer awareness beading links and last year I found a story about children who were helping to fight breast cancer with their beading company. [...]