Local Girls Stuck on Charitable Efforts with Duct Tape

Duct tape or Duck tape? The age-old dilemma doesn’t make a bit of difference to the animals at the , who will benefit from a crafty group of fifth-grade girls attending  in Wildwood. 

Spearheaded by Emily Alvarez, Katie Sulzner and Rhiannon Moore, a group of eight girls made a variety of bows, bracelets, and flower pens from bold and colorful duct tape to sell to their classmates. 

“It started out with one or two people wearing the bows,” said Olivia Noel, one of the crafters. “Then the next day it was an explosion!”

The girls quickly knew they had started something great and geared up to turn their efforts into a benefit for the Chesterfield humane society. With piles of duct tape donated generously by several moms and dads, Alvarez, Sulzner and Moore began picking a group of girls that would help with the project.

“We chose girls who we knew we could trust and who were responsible,” said Alvarez. “We also wanted to make sure they all did well in school, so the extra time spent on the project wouldn’t affect their schoolwork.”

The group also included Sofia Ceresia, Anna Curtin, Stephanie Lubinski, Olivia Noel and Natalie Olson, who were all present at their booth during the Pond Elementary School Carnival this Saturday. At the dawn of the carnival, the girls already had raised more than $80 selling their duct tape masterpieces.

While Pond Elementary Principal Carlos Diaz-Granados could be heard announcing the details of the duct tape booth over the intercom at the carnival, a crowd of young boys and girls already had surrounded the table searching for the perfect duct tape creation—each one more colorful than the next. 

No one could have possibly foreseen tie dye, neon, and cheetah print designs when duct tape was first produced in 1942, during World War II. What was once used as waterproof tape for ammunition cases has turned into a creative free-for-all. 

The girls, who clearly have a passion for their vibrant duct tape accessories, also have empathy for the animals at the humane society.

“When my cat died, I was really sad. We went to the humane society, and I saw all of the cats there, and it made me want to help them,” Sulzner said. “It feels really good to be able to give to a place that helps animals.”

After the fundraising event at the carnival, the girls plan to take a break from duct tape, but admitted that this probably won’t be the last time the community hears about them.   

“We spend a lot of time together,” said Moore. “I am sure we will come up with something else soon.”

The money raised will be taken by the group to Chesterfield’s humane society, where the duct tape crafters will be able to see firsthand all of the critters they have been stuck on helping.