Julia B., a second grade student at , is raising funds to help children with muscular dystrophy, one duct tape bracelet at a time.
Last April, Julia’s friend, Gaby Steele of Prospect, died from the disease and Julia wanted to honor her young friend’s memory with an everlasting gift.
“Gaby loved looking at the animals at Brooksvale Park (in Hamden) and part of the money that we raise will go toward putting a bench in the park,” said Julia.
Gaby was born in 2001 with congenital muscular dystrophy and had physical challenges and disabilities for her entire life. She liked many animals; her favorites were owls, ducks, squirrels and dolphins. She enjoyed playing musical instruments, swimming, and dancing.
Julia creates her bracelets out of decorative duct tape that she purchased at a local craft store and a small owl made out of colored foam. She sells each of the bracelets before school for $1.00 with a preliminary goal of raising $100.00.
“The first day, we sold out, so I made more bracelets,” said Julia, separating the tie-dye bracelets from the Hello Kitty ones. “Every day we kept setting and passing our goal.”
To date, the students, staff, and teachers at Middlebury Elementary School have raised over $590 for Muscular Dystrophy research.
Additionally, Julia’s Girl Scout Troop #64000 has pledged a matching gift for whatever is donated by Middlebury Elementary School.
“Part of the total donation will be put toward placing the bench at the park she so loved and the other part will go toward Muscular Dystrophy research,” said Julia’s mother, Denise B.
The colorful bracelets appear on so many of her classmates’ and teachers’ wrists, but one cannot help but ask Julia of the meaning behind the wording Saver Owls.
“The owl was one of Gaby’s favorite animals and the ‘saver’ means, well, I guess I want to save the kids who have muscular dystrophy,” said Julia.
Saving kids one bracelet at a time.
