Thousands of Bands For Freedom wristbands welcome sailors to their new port in Bremerton, Washington. Armed Forces Relief Trust uses patriotic wristbands to increase awareness of its services.
Bremerton, WA (PRWEB) January 19, 2005 -- When more than 3,000 sailors arrived in Bremerton, Washington last week, they were greeted by family, friends, community members and thousands of Bands For Freedom wristbands.
The new Bands For Freedom wristbands were created to bolster support for the war on terror and the U.S. troops who sacrifice to preserve freedom. The wristbands are similar to those made popular by the Lance Armstrong Wear Yellow Live Strong Foundation.
“We were pleased to take part in this welcome gala for these sailors and their families,” said Steve Cloward, president and chief executive officer of the Bands For Freedom Foundation, Inc. “Bands For Freedom will continue to support the troops by contributing to the Armed Forces Relief Trust (AFRT). Spreading the Bands For Freedom wristbands to people all over the country is our way of saying thanks to the troops, both at home and abroad.”
The community in Bremerton organized a homecoming party to welcome the sailors from the USS Stennis. The Stennis is a new aircraft carrier and will be replacing the Carl Vinson, which was sent to Norfolk, Virginia for an overhaul and routine reactor check. As part of the festivities, the AFRT presented the sailors and their families with thousands of Bands For Freedom wristbands and educated the new arrivals about its financial services and assistance capabilities.
The AFRT has a proud history of providing needed funds for soldiers on active duty. To help soldiers cover basic living expenses such as rent, food, utilities and car repairs, the AFRT offers interest-free loans and grants. Soldiers and their families can also apply for interest-free loans from the AFRT to help with bills while their family is away serving their country. Soldiers who must travel back to the United States for a funeral, the birth of a child or other emergencies can turn to the AFRT to access the money they need to travel.
“We wanted the sailors to know that we are here for them if they fall on hard times,” said Candy Strickland, chairman of volunteers for the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, the division of the AFRT that deals with naval personnel. “Often times soldiers struggle for months without even knowing that there are resources out there to help them get back on their feet. We want people to understand who we are and what we do. We may just be the last resort for many of our men and women in uniform.”
The Bands For Freedom Foundation, Inc. has been one of the AFRT’s most ardent contributors. After raising more than $30,000 for the AFRT, the creators of Bands For Freedom wristbands have pledged to continue to donate all after-cost revenue from the sale of its colorful patriotic wristbands to support the U.S. troops.
The Bands For Freedom wristbands come in both youth and adult sizes and can be purchased at www.bandsforfreedom.com. Non-profit organizations, clubs, teams and other groups can buy the wristbands at wholesale prices and sell them for a profit. For more information about Bands For Freedom wristbands, please visit www.bandsforfreedom.com or call (866) 217-5595.
About Bands For Freedom Foundation Incorporated
Created in 2004, Bands For Freedom follows the lead of its predecessor, Freedombands, Inc., and has become an enormously popular supplier of patriotic silicone wristbands. The smartly designed silicone wristbands that come in red, white, blue, a marbled band with all three colors and are marked with the word “freedom,” the wristbands offer a simple yet powerful reminder of the sacrifices made to preserve freedom for all people. Designed to aid Americans in making a respectful and unified statement in honor of the men and women of the armed forces, Bands For Freedom donates all after-cost proceeds to the Armed Forces Relief Trust.
About The Armed Forces Relief Trust
The Armed Forces Relief Trust (www.afrtrust.org) is a unique non-profit fund created to collect donations for U.S. troops and their families. The AFRT raises money to support the men and women of the U.S. armed forces and their families and, unlike many other charitable organizations, distributes 100 percent of the money it raises among the five divisions of the U.S. military.
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