Fashion Fundraiser Planned for this Saturday in Norristown

Mady Grebe is the sort of girl who listens in class. 

It was in her third grade health class at Marshall Street Elementary School that the nine-year-old learned about victims of head and spinal trauma who became paralyzed.

"She was really moved by their stories and said that she wanted to raise money for them," said Amy Grebe, Mady's mom.

Grebe, the artistic director of the ACPPA Community Art Center in Norristown, sent her daughter back to her health teacher for more information about how Mady could get involved in helping paraplegics. Her teacher, Ms. Brown, helped Mady find the Walkabout Foundation, a nonprofit that raises funds for research into finding a cure for paralysis. The group also donates wheelchairs to people in need around the world.

"[Walkabout] really got to us," said Mady. The nonprofit made fundraising easy by allowing volunteers to create a page on their site to share with supporters.

"Three hundred dollars buys a wheelchair," said Amy. "It was a number we knew that we could raise."

Mady created her page with a goal of $500 and has currently blown past that to raise almost $800 for the cause. She's not done by a long shot, though.

Mady has organized "Fashion on Wheels," a fashion show fundraiser planned for this Saturday, March 16, at 7 p.m. at the ACPPA Community Art Center, 506 Haws Avenue in Norristown. She's enlisted almost a dozen friends from school and the art center to model her unisex designs, which mom Amy is making. 

"I'm designing all of it," said Mady of her line, called Mad Styles. She'll raise money by letting supporters walk off with the clothes for a free-will donation.

Mady's also getting some help from Ali Swiatkowski, a jewelry designer who also happens to be Mady's big sister through the Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring program. Swiatkowski is designing the jewelry the models will be wearing on the runway.

"I am truly amazed at the level of compassion and generosity Mady offers at nine years of age," she told Patch. "I can only imagine what she will accomplish by the time she is 12. I'm very grateful to be her big sister and support her!"

See Mady's handiwork and help raise money for a good cause this Saturday, March 16 at "Fashion on Wheels." You can see some of Mady's Mad Styles in the photo section and see some of Swiatkowski's jewelry designs on her website.