Fashionable Fundraisers
By: Shannon Bruffett
Updated: May 23, 2012
(Joplin) Bart Paden is a designer who knew his services were needed in Joplin in some capacity.
"I said from the beginning Joplin doesn't want me out there helping clean up with a hammer and shovel. I'm going to do more damage than good."
Instead, he founded Restore Joplin. Within a few hours of the storm, the organization and a Facebook page and a design for a shirt. He then teamed up with Binky Guy's Textiles to print them. They sold their first shirt by 10 a.m. on May 23rd, 2011.
Mike Wakefield says since the first week, business hasn't slowed down.
"We probably, literally in the last month have had 500 college kids in here that are not going to South Padre for Spring Break, but coming to Joplin and spending money in our economy, and helping out, and it's been neat to see those people over the last year."
At the peak, employees were hand-screening 700 shirts a day to keep up with demand. Wakefield says it was impossible to go anywhere without seeing the logo.
"It's kind of a unity thing. People wanted to associate with each other, and I think that was the great success with the Restore Joplin shirts. It was just so simple and everyone identified with it.
So far, the organization has raise more than $225,000. Paden says they use that money to help fill the little gaps many survivors have discovered in the rebuilding process.
"You live your life, 10 years, 12 years, 15 years in a home, you've got everything there, now it's gone. A lady approached us, needed some help, and all she wanted was a rolling pin so she could make noodles for her kids. She lost everything, but that was her real need. And we were able to come in with a little bit and help her. It's those little things that's making the difference for a lot of people."
David and Kari Lewis moved to Joplin less than a year before the storm. They also felt they had to help in some way. David says the brainstorming started immediately
"What can we do that's cost effective to a husband and wife team, and we just started researching online. And we decided, we can do the bracelets, let's do this, let's help out as much as we can."
Kari says the slogan came from another family member.
"We were just sitting, thinking about slogans, different slogans to use. Ended up talking to my dad on the phone, and he said what about Twistered Not Broken? So we just used the word Twister and added the e-d at the end of it."
The couple has sold more than 2,000 bracelets and used the money to donate to several organizations.
Both organizations have created new designs for the one year anniversary.
You can buy shirts in person at 512 N. Main in Joplin or at www.restorejoplin.com
Bracelets can be found at www.bracelets4joplin.com
Both organizations can be found on Facebook.
"I said from the beginning Joplin doesn't want me out there helping clean up with a hammer and shovel. I'm going to do more damage than good."
Instead, he founded Restore Joplin. Within a few hours of the storm, the organization and a Facebook page and a design for a shirt. He then teamed up with Binky Guy's Textiles to print them. They sold their first shirt by 10 a.m. on May 23rd, 2011.
Mike Wakefield says since the first week, business hasn't slowed down.
"We probably, literally in the last month have had 500 college kids in here that are not going to South Padre for Spring Break, but coming to Joplin and spending money in our economy, and helping out, and it's been neat to see those people over the last year."
At the peak, employees were hand-screening 700 shirts a day to keep up with demand. Wakefield says it was impossible to go anywhere without seeing the logo.
"It's kind of a unity thing. People wanted to associate with each other, and I think that was the great success with the Restore Joplin shirts. It was just so simple and everyone identified with it.
So far, the organization has raise more than $225,000. Paden says they use that money to help fill the little gaps many survivors have discovered in the rebuilding process.
"You live your life, 10 years, 12 years, 15 years in a home, you've got everything there, now it's gone. A lady approached us, needed some help, and all she wanted was a rolling pin so she could make noodles for her kids. She lost everything, but that was her real need. And we were able to come in with a little bit and help her. It's those little things that's making the difference for a lot of people."
David and Kari Lewis moved to Joplin less than a year before the storm. They also felt they had to help in some way. David says the brainstorming started immediately
"What can we do that's cost effective to a husband and wife team, and we just started researching online. And we decided, we can do the bracelets, let's do this, let's help out as much as we can."
Kari says the slogan came from another family member.
"We were just sitting, thinking about slogans, different slogans to use. Ended up talking to my dad on the phone, and he said what about Twistered Not Broken? So we just used the word Twister and added the e-d at the end of it."
The couple has sold more than 2,000 bracelets and used the money to donate to several organizations.
Both organizations have created new designs for the one year anniversary.
You can buy shirts in person at 512 N. Main in Joplin or at www.restorejoplin.com
Bracelets can be found at www.bracelets4joplin.com
Both organizations can be found on Facebook.
