A Waverly girl is doing her part to feed Waverly’s hungry – one pearl bracelet at a time.

Carly Bettis, 10, of Waverly has been making bracelets and selling them at the Waverly Picnic for two years.

The money raised during the picnic and by selling bracelets online through her mother’s Facebook page, lindsey.bettis.1, will benefit the Waverly food bank.

“I wanted to help people,” she said. “People need food.”

By making team bracelets for cheerleaders, bracelets for all of her classmates, and custom bracelets for anyone who orders one, Carly has raised and donated more than $200 to the food bank.

Carly’s love of bracelet making began with a bead kit she won at an Easter egg hunt one year, and her love grew from there.

“She started with this kit and now has three drawers full of beads,” said her father, Jamie Bettis. “When she started, she knew she wanted to sell them and donate the money. We sat down with her and showed her all the options of where she could donate before she decided on the food bank.”

It’s not just small, colorful plastic beads. Carly also has clay beads that she uses for some of her bracelets.

Her mother, Lindsey Bettis, said she was proud of her daughter for finding a way to give back.

“It’s nice that she’s giving back to the community and experiencing what a difference it makes at such a young age,” said Lindsey Bettis. “Most kids her age don’t necessarily think about giving back to their community in this way.”

Carly not only sells bracelets, but also makes them to donate or give as gifts to special people.

“She made one for a little girl who had cancer, and she made bracelets for the cheerleaders to hand out,” Lindsey Bettis said. “I’m pretty sure most of her classmates got one.”

Carly said she was happy to turn a hobby into something good for the community.

“I really enjoy being able to make something for someone else,” Carly said. “They tell me what colors they like, their names, other things they like, and I make them a bracelet.”