Behind the Button

Elizabeth Fallon | A button (badge) that changed the world

Elizabeth Fallon was a stranger; a friend of a friend of a friend on Facebook. Then came "the button, the badge" and Elizabeth became a customer and then my good friend!

Scott Helms (Facebook friend #1) asked me to make some buttons for Elizabeth who is battling cancer in the UK - Scott wanted to surprise Liz after coming to know her story through his Mom and a crazy purple wig. Suffice to say all this changed everything for Buttons of Hope and as you can tell for Elizabeth too!

I didn't know it at time (November 2006) but Elizabeth Fallon was the reason I started Buttons of Hope - if I had known her then she would have been the inspiration now she is my muse. I always believed people would do amazing things with these buttons - here's proof! Over 200 people have posted pictures wearing Liz' button on her Facebook wall (see below) and using the badges Liz has raised over $3000 for the Harbour cancer Support Centre

Elizabeth took these little buttons and she changed things.

I could go on...and...on but I think I'll let Elizabeth tell you why "these little buttons really can change the world"...thanks Liz!

Buttons of Hope - It's amazing how powerful small things can be! from Mike Gibbons on Vimeo.

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There's a story....

I made twenty buttons of this beautiful little girl yesterday...no name on the button just that little "light up the room" smile. There's a story there......

Pepsi Refresh Everything | Too Good to Be True

It's no secret (what a surprise) that I have some serious misgivings about the Pepsi Refresh Everything competition. When I first learned about it (though) I thought wow this may be just the break Buttons of Hope has been looking for...we seemed like a natural fit...

"...looking for people, businesses, and non-profits with ideas that will have a positive impact. Look around your community and think about how you want to change it."

Putting a face on fundraising is a unique idea and given my infamous "social media" bearing (Facebook , Twitter and this blog) I was confident I could marshal and motivate the forces necessary to compete - YOU - my friends, family, customers and acquaintances did your part voting and spreading the word (thank you) - honestly I am shocked that with our amazing effort we never moved an inch! Maybe I could not have hoped for the top ten but #170 - come on somethin's up??

I"m proud and appreciate all your efforts - we did it the right way - but I fear it will not be near enough. With our best efforts the project languishes in the #170s (dropping to #180 today - the top 2 win). Therefore I have decided to "pull the plug" to end the voting campaign - the project will remain on the site but I would prefer that you not spend any more of your time or energy voting or promoting the project. I don't like to give up and if I thought we had even the slightest chance to make a difference I'd hold on - but candidly I am not thrilled with how the whole project is being handled and specifically with what I think are voting anomalies - it's just my gut instinct that something is fishy - and given that YOU and I have better things to do.

Let me say again how much I appreciate everything you have done to support me, Buttons of Hope and our efforts here - Buttons of Hope will go on - I love this idea and will never stop believing that these buttons can change the world - because they already have (see)!

"people actually cared about my story" | #7 of 31 reasons to vote for Buttons of Hope

I stumbled upon one of my favorite customer letters -- Nicole was a wreck trying to figure out how to not only do her first HeartWalk fundraisier but how to motivate her coworkers at Bank Of America to walk and raise money along side her...another example of what Buttons of Hope is all about

in Nicole's words...

Dear Michael,

When Crissie from the American Heart Association first mentioned your website, Buttons of Hope I thought it was a great idea to make buttons to wear on the day of the walk.  I knew just which picture I wanted to use.  I did have a little trouble using the website, but was so glad when you called and offered your help!  I felt like I was getting special treatment, which just solidified my decision to get them done.  And you took the time out to find out exactly why I was walking and why I wanted to get the buttons made, which made me excited that people actually cared about my story.  It was a nightmare that my family went through in losing my brother, but I finally felt like something good was coming from it: being able to educate others on the dangers of heart disease and spread the word on prevention. 

The buttons were something that my team would wear, to support me, my family and the spirit of my brother to help raise awareness.  My mom even cried when she found out that I was getting buttons made.

The day of the walk, I felt like I was a small part of something really big.  I could just imagine my brother smiling down on me and being proud of me.  Both my mom and I wore two buttons each – one on the front, and one on the back, holding our sign in place (see the pictures for a better idea).  Now, my mom wears her button almost everywhere with her, and I wear mine pretty frequently too.  I have one sitting on my desk at work also.  We recently went to a mass where my brother was to be recognized for All Souls Day, and we both wore ours there too.

Nicole

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If you'd like to help us refresh fundraising then please vote* for us in the Pepsi Refresh $250K grant competition May 1 though May 31 - click on the pink button or this link  http://www.refresheverything.com/buttonsofhope 
*feeling inspired? yes you can vote 31 times - once each day for Buttons of Hope! THANK YOU....

An Inspiration to Herself! | reason #6 of 31 to vote for Buttons of Hope

Diana Wiles is what Buttons of Hope is all about...she took on a big fundraising challenge - the 2009 Avon Walk! She became an inspiration to herself!

I met Diana a few weeks ago preparing for the Avon Walk, Washington DC - actually I did not meet her in person but I'm not sure that matters because we have become fast friends. Diana stumbled upon my Buttons of Hope website and sent me an email with a pretty common request...read the rest of the story here

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If you'd like to help us refresh fundraising then please vote* for us in the Pepsi Refresh $250K grant competition May 1 though May 31 - click on the pink button or this link  http://www.refresheverything.com/buttonsofhope 
*feeling inspired? yes you can vote 31 times - once each day for Buttons of Hope! THANK YOU....

"each step I take will be for her" | #5 of 31 Reasons to Vote for Buttons of Hope

Reason #5

"When Erin visited the Buttons of Hope website - she was a stranger now her story(s) and her passion are out there for everyone to see. Erin tells me she loves her buttons - but it's really not about the buttons so much as its about what those buttons say about the powerful stories she has to share. I love it when the light goes on and someone finds the photo button fundraising idea. When I see someone like Erin proudly wearing her buttons I know that while they are a powerful fundraising tool more than they are helping  her be the change she wants to see in the world...wow"   read the rest here

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If you'd like to help us refresh fundraising then please vote* for us in the Pepsi Refresh $250K grant competition May 1 though May 31 - click on the pink button or this link  http://www.refresheverything.com/buttonsofhope 
*feeling inspired? yes you can vote 31 times - once each day for Buttons of Hope! THANK YOU....

My Father, My Hero | #4 of 31 Reasons to Vote for Buttons of Hope

people like Valerie and her Dad...

This is the first Behind the Button story -- I will let Valerie's words speak for themselves.

"Merry Christmas Daddy! This is the third Christmas without you now and it has NOT gotten any easier to be without you on what was your FAVORITE time of year!... how we used to read the story of Christmas from the Bible and then sing carols and drink egg nog..." read the rest of the story here

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If you'd like to help us refresh fundraising then please vote* for us in the Pepsi Refresh $250K grant competition May 1 though May 31 - click on the pink button or this link  http://www.refresheverything.com/buttonsofhope 
*feeling inspired? yes you can vote 31 times - once each day for Buttons of Hope! THANK YOU....

Who Inspired Buttons of Hope? | another reason to Vote!

THEM.

Think different from Andreas Rosland on Vimeo.

AND HIM   AND HER _________________________________________________________

  
If you'd like to help us refresh fundraising then please vote* for us in the Pepsi Refresh $250K grant competition May 1 though May 31 - click on the pink button or this link  http://www.refresheverything.com/buttonsofhope 
*feeling inspired? yes you can vote 31 times - once each day for Buttons of Hope! THANK YOU....

Whose Cause Is It Anyway? | #3 of 31 Reasons to Vote for Buttons of Hope

I made this short video for Non Profits, charities to consider thinking different about how powerful it can be when people personalize and make a cause their own...(might want to turn it up!)

Is it Your Cause? from Mike Gibbons on Vimeo.

A fresh think different fundraising tool.

Custom photo buttons are a unique and fresh fundraising TOOL. Learn more about Buttons of Hope and how we can help your cause engage, motivate and inspire people. Make their story part of your cause by...."putting a face on fundraising"

(thanks to U2 for letting me "borrow" a slice of their brilliance & Apple for helping me bottle some magic)

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If you'd like to help us refresh fundraising then please vote* for us in the Pepsi Refresh $250K grant competition May 1 though May 31 - click on the pink button or this link  http://www.refresheverything.com/buttonsofhope 
*feeling inspired? yes you can vote 31 times - once each day for Buttons of Hope! THANK YOU....

Liz' Road to Recovery | #2 of 31 Reasons to Vote for Buttons of Hope

People* like Elizabeth Fallon... she makes people smile (little ones too)

For me it's always been about the "eyes". I've made thousands of buttons (by hand one by one) sometimes hundreds of the same photo - behind each face there is a powerful story of courage, spirit and hope - making the buttons can be zen-like as I feel like I get to know the person through their eyes - but today it's different, it's all about...THAT SMILE! My good friend and fellow Mojorider Scott Helms asked me if I would make some buttons for his friend Elizabeth Fallon...read the rest of the story here

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If you'd like to help us refresh fundraising then please vote* for us in the Pepsi Refresh $250K grant competition May 1 though May 31 - click on the pink button or this link  http://www.refresheverything.com/buttonsofhope 
*feeling inspired? yes you can vote 31 times - once each day for Buttons of Hope! THANK YOU....