Behind the Button

Elizabeth Fallon talks about Buttons of Hope

My friend Elizabeth Fallon talks about what Buttons of Hope means to her....

 

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 asked me to make some buttons for Elizabeth who is battling breast and now liver 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!

Liz asked friends and family for donations in return for a button. She didn't expect people to take pictures wearing the buttons and then post them to her Facebook wall (see some pictures below) - over 300 pictures from five continents including celebrities, babies, dogs, a lonely coconut and the top of Kilimanjaro! The thing is with each button, each picture Liz' spirits are buoyed and of course the word gets out about her cause! If that weren't enough Liz has raised over $3500 for the Harbour cancer Support Centre

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! 

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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"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....

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....

Why I love Caleb's Mom and the San Diego JDRF Walk to Cure diabetes...

You know what I love most about Buttons of Hope - Caleb's Mom, Caleb's Crew and of course Caleb...let me explain.

At 4:40pm this past Monday I get a call (try it dial 704.341.1954 you get me, really) from Nancy Cullen in San Diego (I'm in Charlotte NC) - Nancy is doing the San Diego JDRF Walk to Cure diabetes this Sunday in honor of her son Caleb. Nancy found me on Google searching for unique fundraising ideas. 

So of course I told Nancy are you kidding there's no way, how could I possibly make and ship 50 buttons in five days? in time for the JDRF walk....NOT!  But of course the answer was yes - I always say yes and then I just make it happen! Anyway we worked it out, I made the 50 buttons that night and shipped them the next day by FEDEX (always awesome) and I see where they will be delivered today!

Here's why this is so important and remarkable. When I get a call like this I think one thing - that one button (or fifty) is the most important thing to that person - in this case for Nancy the button is her son Caleb and having Caleb's picture will allow her to share Caleb's story (see below) with everyone who asks "Who is on your button?" - and they undoubtedly will ask!  If we had connected earlier can you imagine the impact of 50 people wearing Caleb's button weeks prior to the JDRF Walk - how many people would have asked about Caleb and JDRF Walk to Cure diabetes hundreds, thousands? Now that's a unique fundraising idea!

So why do I do this with so much passion, why do I make sure everyone who wants a button gets a button? (did you know I've outsourced the button making...to my garage haha - making every one of over 10,000 photo buttons myself by hand) Why? Because I know how important each single button is to the person who wears it. And my dream, vision (the reality) is that there are millions of people with a story to share just like Caleb's and I hope that some day they (and charities) too will see the power of "putting a face on their fundraising" with a button!

Here is Caleb's story...

"My son Caleb was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in June of 2008 at 3½ years old. Since his diagnosis he has had to endure approximately over 3,400 finger pricks to test his blood sugar and over 1,275 insulin shots.

We are participating in the 2009 JDRF Walk for Diabetes in San Diego.  Our team, Caleb’s Crew, was formed in honor of our son.  We are hoping to raise funds to find a cure for Type 1 Diabetes for Caleb and the more than 3 million Americans who have the disease.  Caleb has been a great inspiration to me because no matter how tough things get he is still a happy, bright, and lovable boy." Nancy Cullen, Mom

...that's quite a story, did it make a difference to see Caleb's picture? let us know leave a comment below

Erin Ott "each step I take will be for her" | Susan G. Komen 3 day Walk Arizona

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!

From Erin...I would love to offer you my story, so here it goes:

"I initially signed up for the Susan G Komen Breast Cancer 3-Day (Arizona 2009) as a challenge to myself to commit to a wonderful cause and to better myself and those around me. I learned of the walk from my boss and her daughter-in-law.  I immediately said where do I sign up???? I registered and started walking a little each day...and then a little more and a little more...[if you've never done a Komen 3 day Walk it is one of the most physically demanding fundraisers]

My aunt is a TWO time breast cancer survivor, and multiple women and men that I work with are survivors.  So I started walking and started asking those around for donations.  Fundraising was tough, but I just kept asking and emailing and posting on facebook and finally I reached my goal of $2,300!!  Then something happened that made this walk much more personal than I ever thought imaginable.  My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer.  Her surgery date will be just days before my 3-day journey and each step I take will be for her.  My camelbak is decorated with buttons of hope so all who see me walk down the street will know who I walk for...I walk for my aunt, I walk for my co-workers, I walk for my sisters, and I walk for my Mom, my best friend for life!"

If you'd like to support Erin please leave a comment for her at the end of this blog post and / or if you like you'd care to contribute to her Susan G Komen 3 Day fundraising page - to make a contribution to Erin simply click on the button of Mom (really try it works)!

 

You Can't Move On, So You Try to Move Forward

Mary and John Kelker are moving forward ~ and it's a big deal! I think often of the Kelkers and of course of their daughter Janine who is such a big part of what Buttons of Hope (and I) have become. If it's true (and it is) that you can tell a lot about a person from there friends and family ~ well then Janine Kelker must have been some kind of wonderful person.

This past Saturday morning I walked with Janine's family & friends in the Charlotte Walk Like MADD walkathon to end the scourge of drunk driving. It was a beautiful morning and it was so good to see Janine's Mom Mary truly smile ~ I have seen Mary smile a few times before in he three years I have known her but this time was different ~ she seemed more at peace and while never forgetting, never moving on Mary seemed like she was starting to move forward. We walked a good part of the walk together talking about kids, jobs, the economy, life and of course Janine - knowing full well that the world would be a wondrously better place with Janine walking beside us.

You might ask why someone I never met means so much to me? If I've learned one thing from the hundreds of tragic stories I have embraced the past three years it is this ~ as many gifts as a person has to give in life, there are also gifts that can only be given in death. This is not to say that by any measure death is better than life ~ just that I have seen such strength and purpose in the people who have lost loved ones ~ that the only explanation is those who have gone help us, nurture us all to move forward in peace.

I am glad to have cone to know the Kelkers, proud to call them my friends and I only wish I could have met Janine ~ who inspires me everyday.     

One picture shows what Susan Komen Race for the Cure is all about.

> I received this note today from a fiend Diana who made buttons for her own breast cancer walk read her story here..I just thought this was so moving..."I am so sorry for their loss. Do you think it would be okay with Jennifer's friends and family if I bought a button and wore it in my Avon breast cancer walk? I know I did not know her but I read the blog and would be honored if they said okay!!!" Diana, I'm going to say it would be more than just OK!

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I suppose I've seen Jennifer Goncalves face a few hundred times between making, packing and shipping 100 buttons for her friends and family to wear in the April 26 Susan Komen Race for the Cure in Newark, NJ. Much like Janine Kelker I feel like I know Jen ~ I wish I could have known her.

Jen's button is one a few I've made without any words and once you see Jen's eyes and smile ~ I think you'll see why words, logos, colored ribbons and wristbands pale in comparison to the powerfully simple message of a face on a button. Jen only 26 passed away from cancer two weeks before her wedding day.

Please check out the Jen's Breast Friends team page and consider making a donation ~ you might want to read this first from Jen and then from her Aunt Lucy Piccininni...

"Cancer took away my hair, my boobs, and my energy...
But it never took away my hope and courage to fight this horrible disease!"
-Jennifer Goncalves

My beloved niece Jennifer Goncalves was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer, at the age of 26, in January 2008. After 14 months of battling this disease she passed away on March 20, 2009, 2 weeks before her wedding!

She was unlike any other person on this earth. She was the very essence of compassion, strength, courage, beauty, happiness, intelligence and the list can go on and on. From the time Jennifer was a little girl she had a certain appreciation for the simple things that life had to offer. Her joy for life was clearly demonstrated through her beautiful smile and the sparkle in those unforgettable green eyes.

Jennifer was more than just a daughter, fiancé, sister, niece, best friend, etc.  She was everything to everyone that knew her and all of our lives are a million times better just because we had the privilege of having her in it.  Her time with us was short, but she managed to impact and touch more people than most do in an entire lifetime.   We will always feel cheated that she was taken from us so young and yet we must learn to be grateful that she came along at all.

Even during her most difficult moments, she kept a positive attitude. The strength and courage that she possessed this past year is beyond what anyone could've ever imagined and it shows what a truly remarkable woman she was. Jennifer had the most contagious laugh that could be heard miles away and she had the wonderful ability to brighten up any room that you walked into. (continued...)

Dogs get cancer too! American cancer Society DOGsWALK 2009

A good friend of mine Blake Garvin thought she had an unusual request - could I make a couple of buttons with the picture of a dog! Blake will be walking with her friend Taja in the American cancer Society's Dogswalk this Saturday here in Charlotte NC ~ one of many nationwide ~ for more info click on the red dog>

Blake and Taja will no doubt join hundreds here and thousands across the country walking in honor of their best friends ~ in this case Molli Blue. Taja tells us what this cause and her beloved Molli Blue mean to her...

 "As many of you know, I lost my incredible Molli to cancer in February. She fought a long battle but always with a smile. After suffering from two different types of cancer within three years she finally went to heaven where she could be free of any pain. Thanks to her wonderful  Oncologist Dr. McFadden and all the doctors and staff at NCSU she lived a longer life than most with her disease. I hope that her participation in the cancer study at NCSU will help save the lives of many in the future. So here is to you Molli Blue! I am walking in the American cancer Society's Dogswalk in your memory to celebrate your life!!! I LOVE YOU INFINITY!"

If I've learned one thing with Buttons of Hope is that it really is not just about the button -- the buttons are simply tools, a means for people to tangibly express their emotion, love and pride. There is however something magic (trust me) about holding and then pinning on a button with your loved one's smiling face whether that loved one be two legged or four! If you'd like to support Taja in her cause please visit her fundraising page here. And if you'd like to read another awesome story like this one please check out Every dog has a story | Balou's Babes!
 
< Oh and of course I just had to surprise Taja with this special button when I saw this picture! 

Diana Wiles is what the Avon Walk 2009 is all about!

Today this beautiful interaction between Mother and daughter on here on Facebook -- truly this is what Buttons of Hope is all about - people connecting with a cause and each other - all because of a face on a button!

 

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 "I need Fundraising help to reach the required donation (Avon Walk) amount of $1800." I get a lot of requests like this and try to help -most times I do not hear back but Diana was different, very different. I could tell she was "one of the crazy ones". Not crazy like "funny farm" crazy but crazy with passion!

In Diana's words...

"I am sure I am not alone when I say breast cancer has greatly affected my life. Although I have not been diagnosed with the disease myself I lost my mother to it and have several survivor friends, Almost every one I know has been touched by this disease in one way or another. I decided it was time to get off my butt and do something that could really help make a difference.

This is my first big step and I am a bit worried about walking that far (39 miles!) but I know I can do it however I am more worried about reaching my fundraising goal. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I do plan on having buttons made and I will be wearing them from now thru the event I would be happy to wear a button of you so let me know if you are interested in this and I will need a photo of you or your loved one name and category (in memory, survivor, or sponsor) and I will happily wear it."

Diana is gung ho about not only walking for a great cause BUT walking for a person - in fact five of them! her Aunt Judy, Sheri, Alice, Bonnie and her Mom. you can see Diana here proudly wearing her buttons. You can find Diana on Facebook here and as I always do if you're so inclined to help out Diana's cause then please visit her Avon page. Diana is well on her way and I hope her story motivates you to get involved, to be the change - we need you!