10-year-old Essex girl sells handmade bracelets for Parkinson’s research
Like many 10 year olds, Brenna Tonon loves to make Rainbow Loom bracelets – but she doesn’t just make them for fun.
After school, when the weather is nice, Tonor can be found outside her Essex home with a small table.
Weaving the tiny rubber bands into unique pieces of wearable art and selling them to raise money for Parkinson’s research.
“I like making them in different colours and sizes,” she said. “It’s really fun.”
Tonor sells rings for 50 cents, bracelets for $1, or necklaces and fancier bracelets for $2.
Half that money is to replenish her Rainbow Loom inventory, the other half is to be donated to Parkinson Canada.
It’s not a disease that many kids her age even know about, but the cause is close to Tonor’s heart.
“My aunt has it. She had it when she was really young so I want to help her,” she said.
10-year-old Brenna Tonon, seen April 18, 2024, shows off a Rainbow Loom bracelet she made in CTV colours as she raises money for Parkinson’s research. (Travis Fortnum/CTV News Windsor)
According to Parkinson Canada, Tonor’s aunt is one of more than 100,000 people in Canada who live with the disease.
It affects the nervous system and can cause tremors and impact a person’s ability to move – and experts say more and more people are getting it every year.
“We still don't know what causes it. We don't have a cure,” said Karen Lee, president and CEO of Parkinson Canada.
Lee said every dollar donated to the charity helps support those living with Parkinson’s – as well as the research into the disease.
She applauded Tonor for her fundraising efforts – which happen to fall in Parkinson’s Awareness Month.
“To see the youth get involved in philanthropy is really important,” said Lee. “Anybody can build awareness. Regardless of age.”
Tonor said her aunt has told her she’s proud of her for the work she’s doing.
The young girl sets up down the street from Essex Town Hall, with her mom Rebecca posting on social media when she’s out selling her pieces.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
This type of screen time has the worst effect on kids: experts
According to some experts, there is one type of screen time that is continuously excessive, and it's having a severe effect on our children.
Grayson Murray's parents say the two-time PGA Tour winner died of suicide
Grayson Murray's parents said Sunday their 30-year-old son took his own life, just one day after he withdrew from a PGA Tour event.
Blaine Higgs 'furious' over sexual education presentation
New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs has shared his anger on social media over a presentation in at least four high schools.
Hamas rocket attack from Gaza sets off air raid sirens in Tel Aviv for the first time in months
Hamas fired a barrage of rockets from Gaza that set off air raid sirens as far away as Tel Aviv for the first time in months on Sunday in a show of resilience more than seven months into Israel's massive air, sea and ground offensive.
Some birds may use 'mental time travel,' study finds
Real quick — what did you have for lunch yesterday? Were you with anyone? Where were you? Can you picture the scene? The ability to remember things that happened to you in the past, especially to go back and recall little incidental details, is a hallmark of what psychologists call episodic memory — and new research indicates that it’s an ability humans may share with birds called Eurasian jays.
Trump confronts repeated boos during raucous Libertarian convention speech
Donald Trump was booed repeatedly while addressing Saturday night’s Libertarian Party National Convention.
'Inspires a sense of adventure': Sask. man conquers Mount Everest
A Saskatchewan man made it to the summit of Mount Everest earlier this month.
Indianapolis 500 delayed as strong storm forces fans to evacuate Indianapolis Motor Speedway
The start of the Indianapolis 500 was delayed as a strong storm pushed through the area Sunday, forcing Indianapolis Motor Speedway officials to evacuate about 125,000 fans who had already arrived for "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing."
Driver, 18, gets $3,000 ticket, 32 demerit points after speeding on Laval boulevard
A young driver received a hefty fine from Laval police after they say he was driving nearly 100 km/h over the posted speed limit.