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You go girl! Beading to Beat Autism

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Michala Riggle, founder of Beading to Beat AutismFourteen-year-old Michala Riggle is already a well established fund-raiser and beader. At the tender age of ten, she managed to raise $300,000 in six months with beaded bracelets!

Michala’s mission all started back in 2006. Her youngest brother, Evan, has autism and was responding well to experimental Glutathione IV treatments. Michala wanted to help other kids like her brother battle autism with this new medicine. Michala’s original goal was $200,000; Kosair Children’s Hospital needed that amount to conduct the study. Michala enlisted help to bead and distribute thousands of bracelets at local art shows and community events. She beat her original goal by $100,000 and put autism in living-room conversations across the nation.

Michala has a new goal: a three-year plan to raise $300 million to build the most comprehensive autism research and treatment center in the world and bring autism awareness to greater heights. Michala’s dream is to make the “We Believe!” International Autism Research and Treatment Center a place like St. Jude’s Hospital, where autism patients receive treatment and care regardless of their financial circumstances. The Center will also be a first-class, independent research facility striving to find the cause of autism and a cure.

Michala and her family need your help to meet this tremendous goal that will touch the lives of so many. The Michala Riggle Beat Autism Foundation, Inc. is now an official 501c-3 non-profit foundation. The first phase of her fundraising campaign is kicking off this month and she is sending out FREE beading kits to anyone who signs up to help raise money for the center. The kits contain enough beads to make 300 bracelets.

This is a great opportunity for beaders and crafters to help this worthy cause. Take the kits into schools, youth groups, summer camps, Girl Scouts, or just invite friends over for a beading party for a great cause.  The bracelets are then to be used in fundraising efforts for a suggested donation of $3/each. Michala and her mom Emlyn made a fantastic video explaining the initiative on YouTube.

Please consider helping Michala (and thousands with Autism) complete her worthy goal! Sign up to receive your beading kits today and become a fundraiser for Beading to Beat Autism. You can also make a donation to the foundation without signing up for bracelets. Michala has set the course, let’s help her reach the destination!

Comments

  1. Dear Michala – You are an angel on earth! How beautiful your soul is to help your brother Evan and others like him! 15 years ago when my son Danny was diagnosed autism was 1 in every 10,000; Today it is 1 in every 91 (published in CDC Centers for Disease
    Control is 1 in every 100) and in California 1 in ever 62…. My son Danny loves to bead – he strings beads for himself (etsy store) and also for individuals with Altzheimers (we hand deliver to local residential facilities)… the pieces he creates are divided 50/50…. we sell for a profit for his etsy store and give all the pieces to patients who suffer from Altzheimers. (Altzheimers is a ditant cousin to Autism)… It is heartwarming to read your story and also how powerful your message is! My son and I haven’t met you – but we love you… YES YES YES We would love to make beads for you to help spread your message!!!!! Good luck – All our love, Sue and Danny xox

  2. If you knew Michaela’s parents, Emlyn and Dave, you would see where she gets her sweet spirit and dedication. They are wonderful, Godly people. Great job Michaela!

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Have you read?

Beaded Halloween Skeleton Craft – A Spooky-Cute Bead Project For Halloween Decorating

If you like your Halloween crafts with a little bit of spooky charm and a whole lot of handmade personality, this Beaded Halloween Skeleton from CraftBits is a fun little project to add to your October crafting list.

This project uses simple supplies — white seed beads, black seed beads, 24-gauge wire or beading thread, scissors, and wire cutters — to create a small beaded skeleton that can be used for Halloween decorations, charms, party favors, or even spooky handmade jewelry. The original tutorial walks you through building the skeleton row by row, starting with a black bead at the top and working through the skull, body, arms, hands, legs, and feet.

What I like about this project is that it has that lovely “old-school craft book” feel. It is not overly complicated, but it does ask you to slow down and follow the bead pattern carefully. This is the sort of Halloween bead craft that is perfect for a quiet afternoon when you want something seasonal but not messy. No glue gun strings across the table, no glitter stuck to the dog, just beads, wire, and a little bit of patience.

The finished skeleton would be cute added to a Halloween keyring, made into a zipper pull, tied onto a treat bag, or hung from a mini Halloween tree. You could also make a batch of them for party decorations or classroom craft swaps. If you enjoy tiny seasonal makes, you might also like browsing the Halloween Crafts section on CraftBits for more spooky little projects to pair with it.

This is a good project for confident beginners who have used seed beads before. Younger crafters may need help with the wire ends and keeping the rows tight, but older kids, teens, and adults who enjoy bead crafts should find it very satisfying. I would suggest using a bead mat or a shallow tray, because seed beads have a special talent for rolling into the one place you cannot reach. Ask me how I know.

For supplies, small packs of black and white seed beads are easy to find, and Amazon is handy for basic beading wire, bead mats, and small jewelry pliers if you are building up a Halloween craft kit. If you prefer more unusual beads or want tiny skull charms to add alongside your skeleton, Etsy can also be a fun place to look for Halloween beading supplies.

This little skeleton is proof that Halloween crafting does not need to be huge or expensive to be fun. Sometimes the best seasonal projects are the small ones you can make in multiples, tuck into gift bags, or hang around the house for a bit of handmade Halloween mischief.

Best for: Halloween bead crafts, spooky handmade charms, beginner-friendly wire bead projects, Halloween party favors, and small seasonal decorations.