NEWPORT, R.I. – Since its inception, the company ethos of ALEX AND ANI | CHARITY BY DESIGN has been centered around empowering and connecting humanity.
Traditionally, this philosophy is met through innovative jewelry designs that allow consumers to express themselves and make a positive impact on the world. Recently, ALEX AND ANI | CHARITY BY DESIGN, alongside the Boston Celtics, took its mission of connecting the community to the next level with the creation of the Give and Go program.
The cause and effect platform empowers students at the middle school level to use physical fitness as a way to raise awareness for local youth-based non-profit organizations.
To that end, the Thompson Middle School in Newport, Rhode Island accepted the Give and Go fitness challenge in May with its eyes set on helping peers of its community.
For a 10-day period, the students worked together during gym classes to be in constant motion on the ALEX AND ANI Energy Track. The Energy Track consisted of four stationary bicycles located at a dedicated space within the gym. During gym periods, each class aimed to achieve 180 minutes of energy points with all four bikes being peddled continuously for a 45-minute period.
Ultimately, the students clocked in 12,542 minutes on the bikes, surpassing the 11,000-minute goal. That’s enough pedaling to bike from the Thompson Middle School to the TD Garden and back about 15 times!
ALEX AND ANI | CHARITY BY DESIGN employees showed their appreciation for the students’ efforts to raise awareness for pediatric patient care on Tuesday, when they volunteered to create 700 activity kits as a donation to Hasbro Children’s Hospital and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
“The kids were invested in the process,” reflected Thompson physical education teacher Mike Brennan. “The celebration, I thought that would be the motivating factor and it wasn’t; that was a secondary thing for the kids. The biggest deal was them unlocking that donation and wanting to help out.”
Nonetheless, Celtics players Jordan Mickey and Terry Rozier, along with Celtics mascot Lucky, joined ALEX AND ANI | CHARITY BY DESIGN Vice President Susan Sarro Wednesday morning for a visit to the Thompson Middle School.
The crew teamed up to host a celebratory pep rally for the youth. The assembly was highlighted by an in-depth talk with Mickey and Rozier, who both spoke on the importance of helping others around you. Select students shared various lessons they learned through their participation in the Give and Go program.
“Giving is greater than getting,” stated one sixth-grader, who gained a round of applause from his classmates and teachers.
Furthermore, Mickey and Rozier signed a basketball for the youth as to serve as a constant reminder to lend a helping hand.
The show then turned up a notch with Lucky taking to the air for an acrobatic dunk show that brought the crowd to its feet. Assistant principal Lee Russell helped out with the high-flying act, as Lucky soared over him and slammed down a dunk to the crowd’s speechless amazement.
Following the pep rally, Lucky headed to Providence, Rhode Island to visit with youth patients at Hasbro Children’s Hospital. There he delivered the activity kits that were provided by ALEX AND ANI | CHARITY BY DESIGN and their thoughtful peers just down the road.
The visit brought the Give and Go program full circle, connecting communities from across New England as one.
