Memorial Bracelets

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Interest on Memorial Bracelets has increased over the past years, but did you know where it started? Here is an info article from TIME magazine (10/13/08) about Memorial Bracelets. ****** Memorial bracelets have been around since the Vietnam War, when a student group, Voices in Vital America (VIVA), began a campaign on behalf of missing American soldiers and prisoners of war, using silver bands modeled after taht of TV host (and future Congressman) Robert Dornan. The bracelts took off- Bob Dole, Ronald Reagan and Sonny and Cher all donned POW/MIA bands at one time or another- and VIVA sold mote than 5 million before disbanding in 1976. (They are still available throgh the National League of Families.) Lance Armstrong reignited the accesories-with-a-message trend in 2004 with the $1 yellow LiveStrong bracelet. The rubbery adornment has become this decade's AIDS ribbon and can idicate support for causes from bipolar disorder to Darfur. At HeroBracelets.org- also started in 2004- friends and families can honor servicemen from World War II to Iraq with personalized metallic bracelets.