Bracelets For Bowwows

By Laurie Borst

Sarah Braga is a little girl with a big idea. Maybe petite is a better word to describe this Hawley School fourth grader. Her youth belies the energy and confidence this young lady exudes.

Aware of the plight of animals at the dog pound and the efforts of Canine Advocates of Newtown (CAN), Sarah wanted to raise money to help. A popular item with the preteen set is friendship bracelets. Sarah started making them in the late fall to sell to friends for $1 each, in the hopes of raising $15 to donate to CAN.

As of late March, she had raised $110.67. “It’s fun thinking about all the animals it will help,” Sarah said.

Shortly after beginning her enterprise, Sarah recruited some friends to help. Nikki Giovannone, Cassie Erikson, and Faith Pereira are in Mrs Thorpe’s class with Sarah. Cassie’s sister, Miranda, a fifth grader at Reed, and Sarah’s sister, Victoria, an eighth grader at the middle school, also help out.

The members of this industrious group usually work on their own at home, selling their wares to friends and neighbors, and pooling their money. Most sales are through word-of-mouth. Faith has also made sea glass necklaces that she has been selling for the cause.

Sarah also set up a donation box in her classroom. Schoolmates bring in envelopes with money they have earned from chores at home, or change from purchases at the school store.

Sarah’s mother, Mary, expressed pride in her daughter’s accomplishments. “She wrote a business plan. She takes orders from people. They can select the colors they want. Sarah keeps daily calculations of donations and sales,” Mrs Braga beamed.

The Bragas have a dog, Heali, who greeted everyone with lots of energy. Heali is a 7-year-old Australian cattle dog.

Sarah invited Virginia Jess, a founding member of CAN, to meet her group of bracelet braiders. Mrs Jess told the girls the history of CAN.

CAN was incorporated in 1999. Mrs Jess explained that students involved when CAN got started now have younger siblings getting involved. Students in high school now earn community service hours by helping CAN.

In the late 1990s, a friend told Mrs Jess that dogs were just not being adopted. She went to see why. She wanted to help and offered to start walking dogs. Officials were concerned about liability issues.

Mrs Jess and her friends started attending police commission meetings, until they were allowed to walk the dogs. But, she pointed out, they had to incorporate so they would have insurance. From there, CAN grew to advocating and raising funds for a new dog pound.

While Mrs Jess shared her knowledge, the girls enjoyed pizza and cupcakes Mrs Braga provided. The girls then shared stories of their own pets with Mrs Jess.

Sarah is following in the footsteps of her older sister, Victoria, becoming involved with many charitable endeavors  in her school and community. Victoria joined Interact in fifth grade. One of their projects was making adoption bags for CAN, using items donated by Reed students including dog food, biscuits, toys, and leashes. Victoria now belongs to Interact at Newtown Middle School, which is also raising money for CAN.