Image from the vaults

Today's subject matter comes in the form of a tag from our good friend Amy, aka 24 Crayons. The rules are that you find the fourth picture in your "My Pictures" folder and post it, no matter what it is. Then you write four things about the picture, and tag four more people.

My folder is mostly a dump for stuff I post to the blog. This is the fourth image there; it should be familiar to most of you.



Four facts pertaining to the history of the pink ribbon:

1. The ribbon was first popularized as a symbol during World War I, with the song "Round Her Neck She Wears A Yeller Ribbon", with the yellow ribbon worn by a woman to remember her man who is off fighting the war. It was updated in the 40's as "She Wore A Yellow Ribbon" and was the theme to the movie of the same name. Tony Orlando and Dawn's huge hit "Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Old Oak Tree" in 1973 reinforced the yellow ribbon as a symbol of remembrance. In that song, the yellow ribbons welcomed a convict home from prison. It gained further significance during the Iranian hostage crisis when Penelope Laingen, the wife of one of the hostages, tied a yellow ribbon around a tree of their home, and the idea caught on throughout the country. Today the yellow ribbon is a general sign of support at home for US military troops stationed abroad.

2. The pink ribbon first appeared in 1991 when the Susan G. Komen Foundation handed them out to participants in its New York City race for breast cancer survivors, the forerunner of "Race For The Cure" events now held nationally.

3. The next year, Self magazine editor Alexandra Penney was working with Estee Lauder vice president Evelyn Lauder on the magazine's second annual breast cancer awareness issue when they hit on the idea of distributing ribbons in Estee Lauder stores in New York City. At the same time, Charlotte Hayley, then battling breast cancer, designed peach ribbons in order to raise awareness of breast cancer issues and as a fundraising tool. Lauder contacted Hailey about producing ribbons for Estee Lauder, but Hailey saw the idea as too commercial. After further discussions, the women agreed upon a special pink ribbon that could be used for the Estee Lauder campaign. The idea took off, and made the pink ribbon the international symbol of breast cancer awareness.

4. In Britain, pink ribbons are used to tie legal briefs together for delivery to the barristers.

Fermi, Jeni, Jennylu, and CDM, have at it. For that matter, anyone else who wants a shot at this can do it too. Spread the fun around.