Sand Dollars for Stripes

Ten-Year-Old Creates the True Spirit of the Season

By Stephanie Cassatly

When ten-year old Jupiter resident, Alexa Borrego, collected over two hundred sand dollars from family vacations in the Bahamas, she decided to start a fundraiser called "Sand Dollars for Stripes." Stripes being those of tigers, not candy canes...at least initially.

The impetus for Borrego's idea came from her love of tigers and her concern for their well-being. She wanted to find an animal sanctuary that could use monies raised by selling her sand dollars to help with food and medical costs. And Busch Wildlife seemed to be the obvious recipient.

An artist at heart, Borrego began decorating her sand dollars using colored pencils, paint and markers. Most of them are holiday themed, such as Christmas trees and stars, with bows tied on. They can be used as Christmas ornaments or simply decorations. She has been selling them to friends and teachers at school, neighbors, the ICU nurses at St. Mary's, where her parent's work, and to family members. To date, she's raised over one hundred dollars and plans to continue until she runs out of sand dollars.

Most of Borrego's sand dollars were found on Green Turtle in the Bahamas, where she spent much of her time crawling around in the surf on her knees, while sliding her hands just under the sand. "I only take the white ones because they're already dead," says Borrego, concerned about preserving nature and living creatures.

Although somewhat quiet and reserved, Borrego enjoys art and nature and becomes animated when describing her "Sand dollars for Stripes" project. "I charge $1.00 for each of my sand dollars, but many people give me more because they realize it's for a good cause and they just want to help." When she's not painting sand dollars, she enjoys painting on canvas and water-related activities such as swimming with the Jupiter Sea Dragons, snorkeling and tending to her four fish tanks at home.

Borrego attends The Batt School and also takes art classes with Mirtha Barris at the Academy of Fine Arts in North Palm Beach. According to Borrego's mother, this was entirely her daughter's idea and stems from a philosophy that has been instilled in her from an early age. "It's about philanthropy," says the fifth grader. When asked what that means to her, she says, "it's about giving of time, talent and treasure."

During this manic time of merchandise and materialism, it seems that Borrego has captured the true spirit of the season.