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Minnesota Girl Makes Bracelets To Honor Military in Iraq

Aired September 01, 2003 - 11:43   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Sometimes all it takes is a simple idea and a little perseverance to get the world's attention. In the case of Janessa Largent, it can get you a personal tour of the Pentagon. Not bad for a 12-year-old from White Bear Lake, Minnesota. Janessa's idea was to make herself a bracelet to remember her uncle who is serving in Iraq. Her friends liked the one she made so much she made some more. One thing led to another, and at last count she's made almost 37,000 bracelets. A tired little girl.
She is joining us now live from Minneapolis this morning.

Janessa, hello to you.

JANESSA LARGENT, UNCLE SERVING IN IRAQ: Hi. How are you?

COLLINS: I'm great. Tell me where you came up with the idea. We know that your Uncle Mike is serving in Iraq. What led to the bracelets?

LARGENT: Well, I was going to wear a yellow hair binder on my wrist to honor that my uncle had been deployed to Iraq. And then I decided that it fell off too easily. So I made a bracelet. And then decided I wanted to make them for everyone who had a loved one deployed.

COLLINS: And as we said, that's, like, about 37,000 bracelets you've made so far. Who's helping you?

LARGENT: Well, just all the people in our neighborhood. A lot of different families and friends and people from my church, and my dance studio, and my school, and anyone who we can get to help make our bracelets.

COLLINS: And how do people find out about this? You do you have a Web site, right? is that how the orders come to you?

LARGENT: Yes, ma'am. And then we also have a P.O. Box where people send us mail to order a bracelet.

COLLINS: Well, the bracelets are beautiful. We're looking at some video of them right now. Yellow, and red, white and blue. Really, very nice. But how long does it take you to make just one bracelet and how much does it cost to you?

LARGENT: Well, originally it took about six minutes, and now that I've made 39,000, it only takes about two minutes.

COLLINS: Ah, so productivity has increased. We just hearing the president talk about that a bit.

But the price now, you guys -- you and your family -- are paying for this out of your own pocket because the bracelets are free, right?

LARGENT: Well, we accept donations, and all the donations go to bracelets, but the bracelets are free.

COLLINS: OK. We're going to give the Web site here in just a bit so the people make sure they know how to get a hold of you and one of your bracelets, should they so choose.

But tell me about your aunt, who is married -- Aunt Judy -- who is married to Uncle Mike, who is serving in Iraq. How has this helped her?

LARGENT: Well, when she first found out about it, she just cried. And she just -- I think she really thinks it helps a lot because, like she said in -- to me how some people don't realize what it's like to have someone away.

COLLINS: And is that how some of your friends have been telling you they feel, too?

LARGENT: Yes, ma'am.

COLLINS: I want to read a bit of a poem you have on your Web site when you first go to it. Once away, it's harmsway4kids. Again, we'll put that up in a moment.

But this is a poem you first see. And you wrote this. It says, "My mommy and daddy have gone to fight to do what they know is just and right. Protesters chant no war in Iraq, while my parents fight to bring freedom back. Americans sleep safe and snug in their beds while my mom and dad endure bombs overhead." How long did it take to you write that?

LARGENT: Well, I wrote it in bits and pieces. Like, I wrote one part of it and then I would take a break and give my brain a little break time. And then I would go back and write the next verse. And it took me quite awhile to write it. But after I was done I was very glad I had done it.

COLLINS: Obviously something you feel strongly about in your heart. And we do really appreciate you being with us.

Want to go ahead and put that Web site address out there now for everybody. It's www.harmsway4kids -- and that's the numeral 4 -- harmsway4kids. And once again, Janessa Largent, we appreciate your time today. Coming to us from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Good job, Janessa.

LARGENT: Thanks.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired September 1, 2003 - 11:43   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Sometimes all it takes is a simple idea and a little perseverance to get the world's attention. In the case of Janessa Largent, it can get you a personal tour of the Pentagon. Not bad for a 12-year-old from White Bear Lake, Minnesota. Janessa's idea was to make herself a bracelet to remember her uncle who is serving in Iraq. Her friends liked the one she made so much she made some more. One thing led to another, and at last count she's made almost 37,000 bracelets. A tired little girl.
She is joining us now live from Minneapolis this morning.

Janessa, hello to you.

JANESSA LARGENT, UNCLE SERVING IN IRAQ: Hi. How are you?

COLLINS: I'm great. Tell me where you came up with the idea. We know that your Uncle Mike is serving in Iraq. What led to the bracelets?

LARGENT: Well, I was going to wear a yellow hair binder on my wrist to honor that my uncle had been deployed to Iraq. And then I decided that it fell off too easily. So I made a bracelet. And then decided I wanted to make them for everyone who had a loved one deployed.

COLLINS: And as we said, that's, like, about 37,000 bracelets you've made so far. Who's helping you?

LARGENT: Well, just all the people in our neighborhood. A lot of different families and friends and people from my church, and my dance studio, and my school, and anyone who we can get to help make our bracelets.

COLLINS: And how do people find out about this? You do you have a Web site, right? is that how the orders come to you?

LARGENT: Yes, ma'am. And then we also have a P.O. Box where people send us mail to order a bracelet.

COLLINS: Well, the bracelets are beautiful. We're looking at some video of them right now. Yellow, and red, white and blue. Really, very nice. But how long does it take you to make just one bracelet and how much does it cost to you?

LARGENT: Well, originally it took about six minutes, and now that I've made 39,000, it only takes about two minutes.

COLLINS: Ah, so productivity has increased. We just hearing the president talk about that a bit.

But the price now, you guys -- you and your family -- are paying for this out of your own pocket because the bracelets are free, right?

LARGENT: Well, we accept donations, and all the donations go to bracelets, but the bracelets are free.

COLLINS: OK. We're going to give the Web site here in just a bit so the people make sure they know how to get a hold of you and one of your bracelets, should they so choose.

But tell me about your aunt, who is married -- Aunt Judy -- who is married to Uncle Mike, who is serving in Iraq. How has this helped her?

LARGENT: Well, when she first found out about it, she just cried. And she just -- I think she really thinks it helps a lot because, like she said in -- to me how some people don't realize what it's like to have someone away.

COLLINS: And is that how some of your friends have been telling you they feel, too?

LARGENT: Yes, ma'am.

COLLINS: I want to read a bit of a poem you have on your Web site when you first go to it. Once away, it's harmsway4kids. Again, we'll put that up in a moment.

But this is a poem you first see. And you wrote this. It says, "My mommy and daddy have gone to fight to do what they know is just and right. Protesters chant no war in Iraq, while my parents fight to bring freedom back. Americans sleep safe and snug in their beds while my mom and dad endure bombs overhead." How long did it take to you write that?

LARGENT: Well, I wrote it in bits and pieces. Like, I wrote one part of it and then I would take a break and give my brain a little break time. And then I would go back and write the next verse. And it took me quite awhile to write it. But after I was done I was very glad I had done it.

COLLINS: Obviously something you feel strongly about in your heart. And we do really appreciate you being with us.

Want to go ahead and put that Web site address out there now for everybody. It's www.harmsway4kids -- and that's the numeral 4 -- harmsway4kids. And once again, Janessa Largent, we appreciate your time today. Coming to us from Minneapolis, Minnesota. Good job, Janessa.

LARGENT: Thanks.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com