People in Austin are making a fashion statement for troops in the Middle East.

Beaded fishing-swivels are adorning wrists across the city, with a promise that they will not be removed until the troops are home.

It all started on March 5, in the office of Charter Communications, when Customer Service Representative Jolene Johnson couldn't find any red, white and blue clothes to wear to work. Employees were dressing in patriotic colors to show support for Operations Manager Sherry Brown's son, Army Capt. Chad Nangle, who had left that day for Iraq.

Johnson had seen the bracelets on a vacation, and put one together that morning. She then made some for her co-workers.

"Over lunch, I said, 'Now these stay on until Chad comes home,'" she said.

Since that day, they've handed out about 50 bracelets. People have then donated items for care packages or money to pay for postage. Kmart, Target and Hy-Vee have also donated to the project. Six packages full of things like jerky, eye drops, licorice and baby wipes have been sent, and the Charter Communications breakroom has tables full of stuff waiting to be sent.

"People talk without us doing anything," Brown said. "Just from people asking about the bracelets, this is what's happened."

Brown does not know what her son thinks of the project, but she said the first package is probably in Iraq by now, so he should know about it.

"Each box I send, I put in a note saying that we keep getting stuff for the troops," she said. "Hopefully he's around a lot of people that he can share this stuff with."

The packages are undoubtably beneficial to the troops, but they're having a more immediate effect on Brown.

"Some days are really hard on me. I think, 'I hope I don't spend the whole day crying,'" Brown said. "Then someone comes with more stuff."

Johnson is proud that her project has turned into something so big.

"I think it's awesome, that something so little has gone so wide," she said. "I never dreamed it would go this far."

She hopes to see a bracelet on every wrist in Austin.

"And I'd make every single one of them," she said.

Matt Merritt can be reached at 434-2214 or by email at matt.merritt@austindailyherald.com