A group of mothers and daughters came together to socialize and inspire one another to make a positive difference in their community. One of the impacts they already made during the event was through leading a Kindness Campaign, where they made friendship bracelets for themselves and children experiencing mental health challenges. The bracelets with creative patterns and empowering messages like “Smile,” “You got this,” and “You matter,” became reminders that everyone is enough and capable of achieving what they believe. That afternoon, they not only put smiles on the faces of 148 children but also strengthened their bond by having meaningful conversations and sharing laughs. The bracelets they crafted will soon be sent to a nonprofit called The Kindness Campaign (TKC), which provides mental health resources for children. 

The event became even more memorable with an inspiring guest speaker, Claire Sumadiwirya, from our local Bellden Cafe. As an owner and founder of Bellden Cafe, she is well known for serving her community through her business. She donates a portion of the income for local causes and supports various community-driven initiatives through hosting fundraiser nights at her cafe and sponsoring local nonprofits. She shared with the attendees how every single individual can make a difference in their community through small acts of service, which is what NCL strives to do. 

Mothers and daughters walked away feeling inspired and grateful, expressing how they appreciate the opportunity to connect and spend more time with one another while doing meaningful work for others. Cheryl, this year’s Tea Chair, shared, “It has been a great pleasure to work with girls and their mothers from other areas like Redmond, Kirkland, and Seattle, and I was able to push myself outside of my bubble each time.” Emerald City Chapter’s Tea event is a reminder for all of us that if we all do a little for our community, we can do so much.