Category Archives: Event Planning

How to Make Breast Cancer Awareness Ribbons

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM). The initiative is focused on raising awareness about breast cancer and providing education and support. As an act of support and solidarity with those affected by breast cancer, survivors, family members, and friends proudly wear a pink ribbon during the month of October.Breast Cancer Awareness Month with RibbonAccording to U.S. Breast Cancer statistics, approximately 252,710 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in U.S. women in 2017, in addition to over 63,000 new cases of non-invasive breast cancer.

To join the cause in raising awareness, you can easily make your own pink breast cancer awareness ribbons to wear or distribute to your family and friends, coworkers, schools, or other organizations you are a part of. All it takes is a three-inch piece of pink ribbon and a small safety pin to create the iconic marker of such an important cause. Though breast cancer research is crucial year-round, as a nation, we claim the month of October as the time to wear pink.

Breast Cancer Awareness Ribbon Steps

To make your own pink breast cancer awareness ribbon, it takes just three easy steps:

  1. First, cut three-inch pieces of pink ribbon, cutting the ends at an angle.
  2. Hold the ribbon horizontally at its midpoint and fold the left end down and slightly across the midpoint.
  3. Then, fold the right end in the same way so the ribbon crosses itself slightly below the fold. At this cross-point, use the safety pin to secure the ribbon in place.

If it’s easier, you can stitch the ribbon together or hold it together with double sided tape at the midpoint before pinning to your shirt, jacket, bag, refrigerator, or wherever else you would like to display it. This DIY craft barely takes any time to make and allows you to demonstrate your solidarity for breast cancer survivors, remember those who have lost their battle with cancer, and celebrate those who have beat it. It’s a small and simple token, but with a powerful statement.

Go Pink with Breast Cancer Awareness Customizable Products

In addition to wearing pink ribbons, National Pen offers breast cancer awareness merchandise in support of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Customize magnets, tote bags, water bottles, keychains and more with the pink ribbon emblem to take to your next tradeshow, company meeting, or fundraising event to support the cause. Perhaps you would like to include someone’s name as a gesture of remembrance. Whatever the case may be, utilizing products such as these to go pink can help keep up the spirit of Breast Cancer Awareness Month all year long.

Woman Holding Breast Cancer Awareness Ribbon

Tradeshows

Stock your tradeshow booth with pink products that have been customized with your company’s name or logo. For example, tote bags emblazoned with “[company name] supports Breast Cancer Awareness Month.” Personalize items that will be useful for people year-round to make your company stand out and make raising awareness a long-term initiative.

Company Meeting

Encourage employees from all branches of your company to use pink breast cancer awareness pens, notes, sunglasses, or hats if they are headed to a conference, client meeting, sales pitch, or interoffice event. Pass them out at your next company meeting, and encourage distribution of them through the month of October as part of promotional efforts.

Fundraising Event

One of the best ways to actively show your support is to raise money for breast cancer education and research. Host a company bake sale and personalize a pink ribbon company banner to accompany it. Plan a 5K walk and order matching pink breast cancer awareness t-shirts for the whole team. Set a goal and share your progress on social media so others can feel inspired to do the same. The ideas are endless, but the goal is fixed on raising money and awareness for breast cancer.

The power of community involvement can’t be denied as everyone “goes pink” for the month of October. The fight against cancer is ongoing and every bit helps. How will you make a difference? Show your support by learning how to make breast cancer awareness ribbons, being active in raising awareness, and purchasing and wearing pink breast cancer awareness products.

Planning a Family Reunion: Activities, Gift Ideas & More

Summer is the perfect time for family reunions. Over 65% of people agree that summer beats out all the seasons to get together with loved ones. The kids are out of school, the weather is nice, and everyone is in a festive mood thanks to longer days of sunshine and warmer temperatures.
Happy Multigenerational Family ReunionIf you’re planning a family vacation or heading to one this summer, make sure to make it extra memorable with the help of a few creative ideas and created just for your family. Family reunion activities give us a chance to reconnect with loved ones who may be too difficult to see on a regular basis – all while enjoying the summer fun. From barbecuing in your own backyard to traveling across the world, it’s time to make some memories and begin the celebration with these family reunion ideas!

  1. Picnic Potluck

    One of the easiest ways to host a family reunion is by scheduling a picnic potluck. Each family is responsible for bringing their own signature dish and contributing to the meal. If you have a smaller crowd, it’s a good idea to assign each family to a specific appetizer, side dish, or dessert so there isn’t a table only filled with cakes and cookies.

    As the host, supply the main course to go with the potluck sides. Keep it simple by grilling hamburgers and hot dogs. Or, host a make-your-own-taco station with plenty of taco meat kept warm in serving trays and all the toppings packed away in a cooler. Create personalized family reunion favors like your own Koozies™ to keep everyone’s canned drinks chilled. Customize them with your family’s surname and year to commemorate the occasion. It’ll be a special cheers to the party in more ways than one. And, it will be a nice reminder of the reunion for plenty of potlucks to come.

  2. Schedule a Destination Family Vacation

    Is your extended family spread out across the country? Pick a centralized destination, and rent a home on VRBO or book an Airbnb so you have plenty of space that you can temporarily call home. Beach or lake destinations are often summer favorites because of the number of water activities available. Both locations will accommodate those who wish to relax and chat by the shore, along with those who want to be active in the water by swimming, boating, canoeing, skiing and more.

    Since not everyone will participate in all activities, you can still feel bonded by creating matching apparel. Whether it’s a comfy t-shirt or hat to block the sun from a long day outside, this is the one time you can probably convince your family to all wear the same outfit, so why not get those fun matching tees?

    People Enjoying a Family Reunion BBQ

  3. Backyard BBQ

    Much like the picnic potluck, the backyard BBQ is one of the family reunion activities where everyone can help pitch in and make it great without having one person having to carry the burden alone. Summer-worthy menu staples include steaks, chicken or ribs on the grill, potato salad, chips and dip, corn on the cob and watermelon. Make the yard feel festive with balloons, banners, or signs that signify the special event. To make cleanup easy, use plastic cutlery and paper plates with trash cans stationed throughout.

    To create an extra festive mood, hire a professional photo booth company or set up a makeshift one to capture the reunion memories. Save all the images to a flash drive to mail out to everyone after the party is over. If you decide to share your images directly online, personalize a picture frame with the date for each family to take with them as they leave.

  4. Family Olympics

    For the family that’s more competitive, set up honorary Olympic games at a park or playground. Schedule events that are easy for all ages to participate in, and hand out prizes to the winners. Easy games that don’t require a lot of supplies or setup include a three-legged race, hula hoop contest, egg-on-a-spoon race, water balloon toss, and other yard games that are applicable for most ages.

    Family reunion gift bags full of goodies like a water bottle, snacks, and a gift card to a popular store or shopping site is a good idea for prizes. To keep costs low, keep in mind, it doesn’t have to be extravagant as the biggest prize is the bragging rights. Get creative with your ideas and don’t be afraid to be a little silly; it’s all about having fun! End the games with a closing ceremony complete with food, drinks and lots of laughs.

  5. Host an Outdoor Movie Night

    Rent a projection screen and set up a movie night in your own backyard. Pick a kid-friendly flick for earlier in the evening, and something more appealing for the adults for after the kids go to sleep. Set out comfy blankets, lawn chairs, and bean bags for plenty of relaxed seating. Serve movie snacks like popcorn, movie candy boxes, and soda. If you’re planning to make it a full meal, think about offering hot dogs, nachos, or ordering a few pizzas to feed the hungry crowd.

    Little Boy on Family Reunion Cruise

  6. Set Sail

    Whether it’s scheduling a full-blown family cruise or renting a pontoon boat for the day, it’s always a treat to enjoy a day in the water. Regardless of what kind of boat you decide to set sail on, pack a summer essentials kit with sunscreen protection, a waterproof case for your phone, and a Kan-Tastic beverage holder to keep your drinks cool. Choose from several different colors and order in bulk for a product that’s both useful and inexpensive to commemorate your family reunion every time you use it.

Start Planning a Family Reunion

There’s nothing better than spending quality time with family, especially if that time only happens once every few years. And, planning a family vacation ahead of time can make hosting an event feel less hectic. Divide and conquer the duties among different family members. Once you pick a date and a location that works for the majority, assign out food, lodging, and activity choices. That way everyone is involved in the reunion preparations, but don’t feel overwhelmed by too much planning and coordination.

Above all, make sure you make the moments count! Take plenty of pictures, add in a few, fun personalized family reunion favors to mark the occasion, but most importantly, cherish the opportunity to catch up and spend invaluable time with your loved ones.