Sudbury's Alyssa Miller Stacks the Caps for Charity at Loring Elementary

Children are great imitators, and it is the unique character of an individual who imparts the amazing gift of compassion for a child to imitate.

Alyssa Miller, a 10-year-old fourth-grade student at , showed her genuine understanding of compassion by organizing a “Stack the Caps” charity event that was held at Loring’s final Community Celebration Day on June 15.

“Stack the Caps” was started in 2008 by Alyssa’s cousin Hayley Miller in 2008 at Camp Starlight, a youth summer camp in Starlight, Pa. According to the camp’s website, one of its campers, a “brave and courageous young girl” named Brielle Namer, was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer and passed away that year. To honor her memory, Hayley, a current resident of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., and currently a counselor at Starlight Camp, began collecting caps to donate to the local children’s hospital.

On June 15, students at Loring brought baseball-type caps to the celebration, and each cap was “stacked” on two columns on the stage in Loring’s dining room.

Ninety three baseball caps were collected as a result of Alyssa’s amazing efforts. Caps with the Boston Red Sox, Boston Celtics, Boston Bruins and New England Patriots logos adorned the columns. There were pink caps with sparkles, yellow caps with flowers, caps with vibrant colors straight of a Crayon box, black and white caps with creative, swirling, intricate designs, all awaiting delivery to young cancer patients at Children’s Hospital in Boston.

After recently attending Starlight Camp and hearing of her cousin’s creation of Stack the Caps, Alyssa was so moved by her experience that she, too, wanted to help young cancer patients. Driven by genuine compassion, Alyssa brought Stack the Caps to Sudbury.

“They do Stack the Caps at my summer camp, and I decided it was a really great thing to help kids around my age and I decided I wanted to bring it to my school,” said Alyssa.

Asked how she felt about the children who lose their hair to cancer treatment, Alyssa said, “I know it makes them feel better about themselves having the caps on their heads."

Chemotherapy and radiation are two forms of medical treatments used to destroy cancer cells.

“Doctors use medications to go after certain characteristics of cancer,” said Dr. Brian DiGiovanni, a pediatrician with in Sudbury. “Unfortunately, there is nothing that will attack just the cancer and cancer cells quickly multiply and divide.”

Because these treatments are attacking not only the cancer cells but many other parts of the body, a side effect is hair loss. Hair follicles are weakened and hair becomes “unrooted” and falls out. Hair loss may occur over a period of days or weeks.

It is for this reason that Alyssa felt compelled to do her part in trying to give back a bit of vanity and self-confidence to the young patients at Children’s Hospital.

When Hayley heard that Alyssa was organizing a Stack the Caps in Sudbury, she was overwhelmed.

“I was so thrilled when I heard Alyssa was holding an event because that is when I know I am making a difference,” Hayley said. “Brielle was my role model, and it means so much to me so see my cousins making a difference in the world, and it is very special to see this organization grow.”

Lea said that it was just a random night when Alyssa approached her about starting her own Stack the Caps event.

 “I asked her why she wanted to do this,” Lea said, “Alyssa told me, ‘I want to help people.’ I told Alyssa that her father and I would help, but she had to organize it herself.”

Alyssa contacted her cousin Hayley, researched information on the Stack the Caps website, and began cutting and pasting that information along with the logo with which to create a Stack the Caps flyer. Alyssa then approached Loring Principal Jeffery Dees, and met with him to explain what she wanted to do.

“She showed him the flyer she created,” Lea said. “Honestly, I don’t know how to do half the stuff she did on the computer to create the flyer.”

After obtaining permission from Sudbury Public Schools’ Superintendent Dr. John Brackett to host the Stack the Caps event at Loring, Alyssa and her parents sent an email blast to the members of the Loring community that explained Alyssa’s intentions, information about the Stack the Caps charity, and requested a donation of caps from Loring students.

 “She made announcements over the loudspeaker at school, too,” said Lea. “It was really cool what she did.”

Even Alyssa’s 7-year old sister, Carly, participated in the event, helping Alyssa on stage during the collection of the caps.

A large, colorful “STACK THE CAPS” banner was displayed across the stage, a banner that Alyssa created herself.

“We supported here, we drove her to the art supply store to buy paper, paint and paintbrushes to do the banner,” said Lea. “And it was cute to see how her sister, Carly, toward the end of the event, wanted to go on stage to be with her sister and be a part of it, too.”

Lea said the timing of the collection of caps was perfect as the Children’s Hospital Resource Room on 6West had run out of caps to distribute to the children at the hospital.

“We decorated a big Tupperware box, put the caps in there and when the kids need a cap, they can pick one that they like,” said Lea.

Compassion comes in many forms, but for a child as young as Alyssa to understand its true meaning is a rare gift.

“I think that Alyssa is one of the nicest and sweetest 10-year olds you will ever meet,” Hayley said. "I think what made her so successful in this event is her understanding of the cause and her passion to make a difference.”

For more information about how to host a Stack the Caps charity event, visit www.stackthecaps.com.