Weaving kindness with string, a new club “Bracelets for Bright Days,” founded by senior Sam Vaccaro, is welcoming Bulldogs to make care and consideration more than an accessory. 

Vaccaro’s goal for this club is to give students the opportunity to come in and make a bracelet for a child at INOVA hospital in exchange for 30 minutes of volunteer hours per bracelet made.

“I wanted to make a club that was fun and impactful,” Vaccaro said. 

Vaccaro teamed up with Sources of Strength and PEER Co-Sponsor, Heidi Rizley, to set her club in motion. 

“I wanted to sponsor this club first and foremost because I love supporting students, and I love facilitating ways for students to serve,” Mrs Rizley said. ”Service is such a great way for communities to connect.”

Vaccaro and Mrs. Rizley hope to brighten an INOVA patient’s day by gifting them a bracelet. These bracelets strongly resemble friendship bracelets to connect the bracelet-maker to the recipient.

“My hope is for this club to have a significant impact on both the bracelet creators and receivers,” Mrs. Rizley said. “Service changes the heart and helps us feel closer together as community members, emphasizing our similarities rather than our differences.”

Every other week, the club will meet and make bracelets, or students can make bracelets on their own time and drop them off in room 603. Volunteer hours will be given to students who participate in any format. Bracelets for Bright Days is not a demanding club, but it certainly is rewarding for all who contribute to their cause.

“The meetings are every other week, so it’s still chill and not time consuming,” Vaccaro said.

To get involved with the club, there is a membership form that provides access to the supplies needed for the meetings. However, for students who have their own supplies, they are allowed to string up some bracelets of their own making for donation to this great club.