Kids of Winthrop basketball coaches build bracelet business to help amid coronavirus
The first time Ruthie Kelsey and Anna Kloman discussed the idea, they were watching their fathers coach the Winthrop men’s basketball team into the 2020 Big South tournament championship game.
Now, a month later, the middle-school entrepreneurs have turned their idea into a business, and they’re donating the money they make to Rock Hill nonprofit Family Promise amid the toubling coronavirus pandemic. Family Promise is an organization that provides shelter and meals to families in need.
Broskis Bracelets — run by Kloman, 13; Kelsey, 12; and Anh Mai, 11 — makes homemade jewelry and conducts sales via an Instagram page. The trio joins an impressive list of everyday heroes from York County, mask-sewers and 3D-printer-operators alike, who are working to make a difference.
Kelsey, Kloman and Mai began selling bracelets on March 22. And as of Tuesday afternoon, Kloman said they’ve made $283. They plan to donate their proceeds at the end of every month.
“We were originally just going to do the first $100, and we were expecting for that to take a really long time, just because we didn’t think it was going to do as well as it did,” Kloman said. “And we got that within the first week.”
Perhaps part of their unexpected success is owed to Cecily Hennigan, the sister of one of the Winthrop men’s basketball team’s managers and a well-known contestant on NBC’s The Voice. Hennigan shared Broskis Bracelets on her own social media, they said.
And Broskis Bracelets still has a bountiful consumer-base they have yet to tap into: Winthrop basketball players.
Winthrop point guard Chandler Vaudrin said he will chip in to the cause.
“It’s just cool to see young kids who are taking initiative and just trying to make change in the world,” Vaudrin said. “They’re the most adorable, well-raised kids. They’re trained. When they come up to you, they immediately hug you and ask how you’re doing.”
Brian Kloman, father of Anna and Winthrop basketball assistant coach, said while he hasn’t intervened at all with his daughter’s business, he’s a happy, loyal customer.
“Well, I’m going to tell you this: These girls are way smarter than I am,” Brian Kloman said and laughed. “I’m fascinated by their hearts and always have been. This is a great opportunity for them to give back.”
What about head coach Pat Kelsey? Is he a stakeholder? You bet.
“He likes to order a bunch,” Ruthie Kelsey said. “He likes them very specifically. He likes to customize them, and he likes to help me improve.”
(In other words, “he likes to coach,” Coach Kloman jokes.)
Bracelets, necklaces and stickers cost $3-$7 and can be customized, per Broskis Bracelets social media. The trio said they have a few plans to expand their business’ impact — such as donating a handmade mask with every order.
“It’s encouraging for other people and for me,” Vaudrin added. “It’s pretty cool to see.”
Want to help?
Visit Broskis Bracelets (broskis_bracelets) on Instagram to find their PayPal information and more.
This story was originally published April 24, 2020 at 8:14 AM.
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