I am a competitive person by nature. It isn’t limited to fundraising or professional performance…I’m even competitive with myself. “It took me 15 minutes to blow dry my hair yesterday? I bet I could do it in 10 today!” It’s just the way I’m hardwired. So when I started setting up the awareness bracelets, DVDs and car magnets for the Lupus Foundation of America’s Charlotte, NC “Walk For Lupus Now” 2011, merchandise table, I was a little startled to see that there was another jewelry sales person scheduled to be placed right next to me under the same tent. Of course, I knew I was doing this for charity…I was selling for the “cause”…but as I am always determined to do with everything in my life, I was going to be the best they had ever seen.

Enter….. Purple Ribbon Jewelry

Let me pause here and say that despite the 90 degree heat, I sold some impressive raffle tickets, car magnets, DVDs and yes, even awareness bracelets…I was, and still am, proud to support the Lupus Piedmont Chapter of the LFA in all their fundraising efforts. However, that same jewelry sales person schedulde right next to me under the same tent touched me not only with her beautiful creations, but with the heart that is behind the accessories.

Julie Schoonover is the jewelry designer of Purple Ribbon Jewelry and right on her business card under her business name, she makes no mistake about her company’s purpose: “Raising Lupus Awareness”. 10% of all of Julie’s sales goes to the Lupus Foundation of America’s Piedmont Chapter…the community in which she lives and supports. Julie gives back. She most definitely walks the walk of the talk she talks…and here’s the kicker……she doesn’t have Lupus.

Julie’s mom had Lupus. I had the privilege of sitting down with Julie for lunch in one of the tents and just talking with her about her business and what brought her to creating it. There’s a smile on her face as she talks about her mom…the life she lead, the passion for making each day count even though she was in constant pain and never knew if there was going to be a tomorrow. Even though she lost her battle with Lupus, Julie creates and sells her jewelry to raise awareness and help the LFA in her own way to find a cure for the disease that took her mother.

The items Purple Ribbon offers range from bracelets, earrings, necklaces, key rings, bookmarks to Christmas ornaments. She uses quality beads and charms including purple cat’s eye, amethyst chip beads, and mixed glass beads. The bands include stretch quality, cord, cord wrap, charm style and single strand. Custom items can be requested for design. Prices range from $10 to $20 depending on the item.

The Purple Ribbon jewelry items are unique.  Each piece is uniquely crafted by Julie herself and you will not find replicas in ANY  stores.  In the days after the Charlotte Lupus Walk, I cannot tell you how many random people I had stop me and comment on my bracelet…people who had no idea what it meant.  Because of Julie’s bracelet, two people in a restaurant, who thought it was just “pretty” were educated about an invisible autoimmune disease.  That’s invaluable.

I can personally attest to the quality and beauty of Purple Ribbon items, as I bought a charm bracelet from Julie as she was setting up her table beside me that day. She only had two copies of the bracelet I bought and by the end of the day, I had people offering to buy it off of my wrist for double what I had paid for it.

Of course, I wouldn’t sell.

To me, it’s priceless.

Purple Ribbon can be purchased at www.PurpleRibbon.etsy.com

Article written by senior editor, Stephanie Kennedy

Stephanie lives in Fayetteville, NC and is the mother of 3 always hyperactive and occasionally adorable children. She was diagnosed with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in 2001 and in the time since, has added Scleroderma, Hashimotos, Celiac and Degenerative Disc Disease. In her day-to-day life she is a Community Relations Specialist (aka, marketing and creative hodgepodge facilitator) and a part-time blogging snarkzilla. She can always be found somewhere in social media-land causing some sort of trouble. Find her on twitter at @steph_in_nc or on facebook at Stephanie Welborn Kennedy.