Submitted by Hartley Jewelers
Do you know someone who has made sacrifices for your freedom? Almost all of us know a soldier; our spouse, the neighbor’s son or daughter, a friend of the family. Today’s military men and women make sacrifices for our freedom every day, so the rest of us don’t have to. At Hartley Jewelers, we are taking our support for our veterans to the next level.
We are excited to announce that we now offer From Soldier to Soldier bracelets, which directly support the organization that modifies homes for severely injured veterans, Homes For Our Troops. The bracelets are part of a national effort to raise significant funds for veterans’ aid organizations and bring attention to the special needs of returning heroes.
For every bracelet sold, $20 will be given to Homes For Our Troops. And, to honor and celebrate Patriot Day, September 11, 2013, we will match $20 for every bracelet purchased now through Patriot Day. You can get yours right here on our web site.
“We have a lot of respect for and gratitude towards the military men and women who leave their home to serve our country. We want to take our support of our troops to the next level and support the war veterans of today. This seemed like a great way to do it and enable our community to do it, too,” says Rick Hartley, founder of Hartley Jewelers.
From Soldier to Soldier bracelets are a designer version of the survival and friendship bracelets worn by many US and allied soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. Soldiers will twist and braid parachute cord to create a bracelet. They are known as survival bracelets, because they can be unraveled and the paracord can be used for many purposes in a pinch. They are also exchanged among the soldiers as friendship bracelets. Often a uniform button is sewn on and used as the clasp. The button clasp symbolizes the uniform. The clasped bracelet symbolizes the bond among the soldiers that can never be broken.
The From Soldier to Soldier bracelet campaign idea was hatched by a soldier. Little more than three years ago, Stefan Hylleborg returned to his native Denmark from his tour in Afghanistan with the intention of raising funds for a badly injured fellow soldier and his family. But instead of selling his own survival bracelets, he asked a friend, Claus Scheelke, a jewelry designer, to create a new version of the bracelets in the legendary Danish jewelry design tradition. Jens J. Aagaard, A/S, the leading Danish jewelry company over the last 40 years, enthusiastically agreed to put its muscle behind the marketing and fund raising, and the bracelets became an overnight national sensation.
“We are very pleased to partner with Hartley Jewelers in support of this unifying cause,” says Niels Christiansen, CEO of LovelinksAmerica, the Massachusetts company behind the national campaign. “From Soldier To Soldier is neither pro nor antiwar. It is pro our young men and women who put their lives on the line for our country and made horrific sacrifices. It is about the survival, friendship and commitment, symbolized by these bracelets.”
“We hope everyone in our community will stop by our store and pick up a bracelet to support this meaningful cause,” says Rick Hartley. “Whether you buy one for yourself or give one as a gift, you can help make a real difference for our returning soldiers.”
The From Soldier to Soldier bracelets are a powerful fund-raiser in honor of our veterans. The bracelets are already worn nationwide by people of all ages. Also, the bracelets are handcrafted in the USA. Prices are $95 and $145 (with a diamond on the clasp or Swarovski crystals).
To see another very unique way Hartley Jewelers has been able to honor our veterans, read how a Vietnam veteran was surprised by a Huey helicopter rotor chain bracelet, and watch a video about the first Huey bracelet we made.
