Fashion For the Cure: 2021 Edition

Hannah Peri

Hannah Peri, 10, is hand making gemstone rings to benefit Dragonfly. “The rings are trendy and it’s so cool to see people buy them because then you see everyone walking around school with the rings on, and it shows that the school really does support FFTC”, Peri said.

DRAGONFLY. Fashion for the Cure (FFTC), a club at SHS, is known for its dedication to The Dragonfly Foundation, a local organization that provides strength, courage, and joy to pediatric cancer patients and their families. FFTC is recognized by its various fundraisers and fashion shows, hugely popular among the Sycamore community. In fact, FFTC raised over $70,000 for Dragonfly during the 2019-2020 school year. 

However, with the challenges presented by the Coronavirus pandemic, the FFTC committee is unable to host their 15th annual fashion show in Spring 2021. With this setback, the committee has been working hard to find virtual and socially distant ways to fundraise, minimizing Coronavirus exposure and evading health risks as much as possible.

Marissa Thorp, 12, who has been involved with FFTC and Dragonfly the last four years of high school, explains that “I think the hardest part about canceling [the show] is seeing all the work that designers have put in over the years… and how much effort [the committee] has put into the show”.

So, what is FFTC doing instead of the show this year?

Currently, committee member Hannah Peri, 10, is handmaking gemstone rings to benefit Dragonfly. “The rings are trendy and it’s so cool to see people buy them because then you see everyone walking around school with the rings on, and it shows that the school really does support FFTC”, Peri said. 

The Jewels for Dragonfly fundraiser is one that will prolong over time, but other fundraisers are more time-sensitive, such as Super Bowl Squares. By purchasing a Super Bowl Square, participants will have the chance to win a variety of prizes, including a grand prize of AirPods, valued at $199. The rest of the proceeds will go to The Dragonfly Foundation.

It is important to continue to persist, even in difficult times. Despite global obstacles, the FFTC committee is dedicated to supporting The Dragonfly Foundation in any way they can. “I will never forget my experiences with the Dragonfly kids. I’m just sad we can’t have them shining in the spotlight this year,” Thorpe said. 

For more information regarding FFTC, visit @sycamorefftc on Instagram or Twitter.