HOPE Bracelet Project Donations in High Gear!!                                               PRESS RELEASE

April 7, 2003; Denver, CO

 

“We have nearly 200 sets of beads ready to go and the donations are still coming in!” commented Cindy Brown, HOPE Bracelet Project volunteer organizer and glass bead maker.  “The sorting party on April 3rd gave us a great feel for the fantastic bracelet combinations that come from the donated lampwork and filler beads.  We are looking forward to more donations, the beads from the Flame-A-Thon in May and adding the silver.” 

The sorting party last week was the latest step as The HOPE Bracelet Project is almost half way to its goal of collecting the materials for 500 bracelets.  The bracelets will be created by the ladies at the Medhane-Alem School in Yetebon, Ethiopia with bracelet-making skills taught by volunteer “trainers” from Denver. 

All lampwork artists are invited to support HOPE Bracelets at a May 31st Flame-A-Thon Bead Making Celebration, hosted by Bella Glass & Stencils, 1445 Lamar in Lakewood, CO.  “Anyone is welcome to join us for a day of bead making and celebration!” comments project organizer and bead jewelry artist Betsy Wiersma.  Strings Restaurant and project organizer Tammy Cunningham will provide fabulous food for the volunteer artists and all beads made will be for the bracelets.

 Volunteer project organizers are ecstatic to report that over $10,000 of donations of fantastic lampwork beads, filler beads, and bracelet making supplies have flooded in to support the HOPE Bracelet Project.  “At the shows in Tucson, everyone said YES!” commented Tammy Cunningham, project volunteer.  “And people thanked us for the opportunity to participate in such a BIG IDEA!” 

Donations range from all the tools and Soft Flex from Mike Sherman and Scott Clark at Soft Flex Corporation, to an estimated total of 1000 lampwork beads from 18 Featured Artists and 14 Participating Artists.  Nine Project Partners have supported with brochure creation and design, custom-photography and promotional postcards, cash donations and other supplies.  Donations have come from across the US and more beads are coming in every day as state bead societies are organizing their member donations to help us. 

“We are in the process of securing the sterling sliver clasps and other metal beads to add to the lampwork beads and to make the bracelets complete,” comments Tammy Cunningham, one of the volunteer project managers.  “We need a few more of the basics:  crimps, jump rings, and some bags for the packaging.”  “We also have a graphic designer donating a mini-brochure that will tell the Project story and credit all the donors.” 

The world is a small place.  In America, so many of us are blessed with beautiful homes, bountiful foods, education and a country that supports our “American dream” and quality of life.  This is not the case, however, in Africa and in particular Yetebon, Ethiopia. 

The HOPE Bracelet Project is designed to share the talents and resources of a group of motivated volunteers in America with the people of Ethiopia through donations to the Project Mercy Organization’s Women’s Skill Enhancement Program.  Our Project will help “teach them to fish” and create an ongoing source of new skills, revenue and pride in their craft.  A Literacy Program is also in place to train the women to read, write and do the math to track the revenue accounting.  

For more information and a donation form visit our web site at     http://cindybeads.com/projectmercy.htm or call Betsy Wiersma at 720-200-0271.

 

 

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