These capes have super powers for sick children
Jade Stein is just 13 years old and she knows that all kids get scared sometimes.
So she created Capes for Courage.
“They are capes for kids to wear who need extra courage during a treatment or during a hard time,” Jade said. “The capes are not gender specific and each have a patch that can be personalized with markers or stickers.”
An eighth-grader at Highland Oaks Middle School near Aventura, Jade loves fashion design and she takes classes at DesignLab Miami. Her mom, Starr Stein, said Jade started out by crafting the capes by hand, about 25 of them, but now they have the capes mass-produced.
With mom as her chauffeur, and help from sister Daisy who is 12, Jade will make her third visit to the Ronald McDonald House in Miami on Sunday. Children who are cancer patients, or who are going through any kind of medical treatment, can go to her arts and crafts class.
“We put up a sign and anyone can come in to design their cape. We provide the capes and markers and they can draw as much as they want,” Jade said. “Sometimes the kids want to make more than one cape.”
Jade wants to branch out to more groups that work with kids.
“Art is a really good way to express yourself without words and it can help you cope with your pain,” she said. “I want kids to know that there’s something out there that can help them.”
Her school principal calls Jade “the most giving and kind.” “She has started a charity and I would like to see if we could recognize her and promote her endeavors,” Cheryl Kushi said.
Jade is hoping for that too. She’s been making capes and helping kids who need extra courage for just about a year.
So far, Jade and the kids she teaches have designed about 150 Capes for Courage.
“I really want to link with other organizations so I can help as many kids as possible,” she said. “That way I could reach more people that need help.”
The capes are not only for kids who are sick. They could help someone in foster care. They’re for anyone who needs anything extra to help them get through something. Maybe they’re being bullied or maybe the bullies need help. A cape can give them courage,” she said.
If you or your group can help Jade branch out to offer capes to more kids who need that extra courage, write to her mom at starrlee1@gmail.com.
Meet ‘Whale Wars’ star
Wildlife and environmental conservation supporters will want to attend this exciting event.
Animal Planet’s “Whale Wars” star, Paul Watson, will discuss ongoing direct action campaigns and the state of our oceans at a fundraising social, 7-10 p.m. Nov. 10 at Sweet Liberty, 237 20th St., Miami Beach.
Sea Shepherd Conservation Society is hosting the event. Watson is founder of the international group as well as a founding member of Greenpeace. Join friends and meet volunteers who are helping to save the oceans.
You will also get the chance to meet the man who founded the 40-year-old, volunteer-based organization that involves caring people from all over the globe. Organizers say the time is right for South Florida “to engage with real life solutions and a greater understanding of the oceans critical state.”
Tickets are $100 per person and include a meet-and-greet with Captain Watson, two drink tickets, and hors d’oeuvres. Guests can also bid on one-of-a- kind autographed items in the silent auction, win raffle prizes, and purchase authentic Sea Shepherd merchandise including custom event tee shirts.
All proceeds go toward supporting Sea Shepherd’s ongoing work for marine conservation and protection. The group’s mission is “to safeguard the biodiversity of our delicately balanced ocean ecosystems for future generations.”
Learn more and find links to buy tickets at https://www.facebook.com/seashepherdsocial. Checks for tickets can be mailed to Liz Brown, 1691 Michigan Ave., Suite 250, Miami Beach, Florida 33139. Donations are tax deductible. To get involved, visit https://seashepherd.org/.
SilverSneakers star
Cooper City resident Maddy McCauley, 75, was one of 10 finalists for the celebrated national 2018SilverSneakers® Swanson Award for her commitment to health, staying active, and encouraging others to “love life longer.”
And even though she didn’t win the top award, she was celebrated at Rock Creek Pool and Fitness Center by family, friends and her SilverSneakers community.
“I’m so flattered and humbled to be a part of this wonderful award. I can’t begin to tell you what Silver Sneakers has meant to me,” Maddy said. “About 10 years ago, I couldn’t walk without falling. A dear friend suggested the SilverSneakers program and the rest is history. I am eternally grateful for my SilverSneakers family and the extraordinary impact the program has had on my life.”
Recently, when she severely sprained her ankle and had to wear a boot, she was back at her SilverSneakers class as soon as she received the OK from her doctor.
“It is a life-changing experience for me,” she said.
To learn more about a SilverSneakers program near you, visit www.silversneakers.com.
Crafts, food, fun at two fairs
Join St. Thomas Lutheran Church, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 3, 17700 Old Cutler Rd., Palmetto Bay, for a day of shopping at the 17th annual Fall Fair featuring a rummage sale, local vendors, homemade baked goods and the “Hot Dog Café.”
OneBlood will be present for blood donations. Proceeds help those in need in the community. Vendors can call 305-232-1227 for a space at $30.
Another festival is 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 10, at Cornerstone Church, 20740 Old Cutler Rd., at the corner of Marlin Road and Old Cutler Road. Included will be crafts, vendors, rides, and a DJ in addition to hot dogs, Frito Pies and cinnamon roll waffles, Flips Kettle Corn, and homemade baked goods. BBQ chicken dinner will be served between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Vendor spaces available for $25. Call 305-233-7457. Proceeds go toward disaster relief efforts.
This story was originally published October 25, 2018 at 3:39 PM.