Tutus and capes for a brighter day

WALLINGFORD, Conn. (WTNH) -- Colorful tutus and capes are being made for the sick children at Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital. Women of all ages are banding together for Emmy's Heart: a non-profit group that now has a chapter in Connecticut.

The room full of volunteers are on a mission.

"I'm cutting out the masks that go along with the capes," said volunteer Ann Klein.

They're cutting, pasting, and making slip knots.
    
"All your doing is taking a piece of tulle," said volunteer Sandra Gabriel-Busa, "then slip knotting it around an elastic band."
 
They are creating colorful tutus, capes, and crowns.

Jamie Golanski-Zmijewski with Emmy's Heart of Connecticut said, "when they see the tutus and capes, they're really excited, they want to try them on."

The tutus and capes are for the sick children at Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital: gifts from the non-profit organization.

"Emmy's Heart started in Florida from a friend of mine who lost her Mom to cancer," said Zmijewski. "Shortly before that her son was diagnosed with leukemia and she was in and out of the hospital with him and wanted to do something nice for the kids."

Moms like Sandra Gabriel-Busa and Ann Klein jumped right in.

"I'd be thrilled that someone would take the time to do that for my child and I see how bright the kids light up and their face gets so bright to have someone to do that for my kids would be, that would incredible," said Busa.  

"I've always wanted to give back," said Klein, "do more, get involved in something but I work full time, have three kids, just busy in life and I figured what a great opportunity to bring my middle school child here to help out."

For 12-year-old Lizzie Lederle helping out is a crowning glory.

"It makes me feel happy just thinking that I'm making people smile with this, cause it's so cute, little kids in the hospital really need a treat like this," Lizzie said.

Children like the little boy, featured in a nearby painting, wearing a cape on his last day of chemo, are an inspiration.

"Pat Pat was a little boy that I met on my first distribution of a cape and he loved the cape," Zmijewski recalled, "he wanted to sleep, eat, do everything in it. He wore it so much that it became a little worn out, so I ended up making a Spiderman cape so he would interchange them."

Magical moments sure to be repeated time and time again.  

Emmy's Heart relies solely on donations.

The tutu/cape parties are bi-monthly and the group is  looking for more people to get involved.

The next one is scheduled for Friday, August 24th at 7 p.m.

For more information visit the Emmy's Heart website or their Facebook page .