La Jolla bracelet company Pura Vida recently partnered with “Bachelor” star Colton Underwood’s Legacy Foundation to release a new set of bracelets and raise money for cystic fibrosis. Underwood previously played as a linebacker for the San Diego Chargers, where became friends with one of Pura Vida’s owners, according to marketing manager Vanessa Skaggs. So when Underwood’s charity launched in 2015, he was more than happy to design a bracelet to raise money for his foundation, which he started in honor of his cousin, Harper, who was born with cystic fibrosis while he was playing football. Now he’s teaming up with Pura Vida again; this time to design a set of three purple bracelets – the color of the national Cystic Fibrosis Foundation – all benefitting the Colton Underwood Legacy Foundation. The foundation has raised nearly $100,000 for CF patients as well as clinics and research organizations focused on treating people living with CF. Individual bracelets are $6, and the pack is $30.
“He wanted a platform to use his fame and success for something positive,” Skaggs said. “We has a lot of success with his original design.” Part of that was thanks to Underwood, who wore the bracelet during the entire filming of “The Bachelorette.” He made it down to the final four men competing for Becca Kufrin’s heart. He’s continued to wear them on his current season as “The Bachelor.”
Pura Vida and Underwood’s Legacy Foundation launched the new bracelets on Feb. 13 with a fundraising event at Mavericks Beach Club in Pacific Beach. All proceeds from the event went to the foundation. Following the launch party, Underwood apologized on Instagram for leaving earlier than planned because he was being touched and grabbed inappropriately by fans. “I’m sorry if you didn’t get a picture at the event last night, but at one point during the event I was grabbed and touched inappropriately while people were throwing cameras in my face,” Underwood wrote. “I am the type of person who would have stood in line for hours to make sure anyone who supported the event got a picture, but once that happened I had to do what was best for me as a human being. I didn’t sign up to be a piece of meat or a zoo animal.” To purchase the new pack of Underwood’s bracelets, visit puravidabracelets.com. A total of 25 percent of proceeds will be donated directly to the Legacy Foundation for research funding and medical equipment.