For our Winnipeg volleyball Nationals 2025, my team and I decided to do a small but meaningful project to spread some love to other teams and players at the tournament. We decorated clothespins, also called clips, with cute charms, bows, kind words, and Jolly Ranchers! The idea was to secretly clip them onto other players or teams during the tournament as a fun surprise and a way to motivate them.
We planned the project a few months before Nationals in May, and gathered supplies to bring over to Winnipeg, which is where we made the clips. While making them, we also got bubble tea, which made it even more fun! Time flew by so fast, and we all had such a good time decorating the clothespins together as a team.
One small challenge was getting the decorations to actually stick to the wooden clips — the glue didn’t work well at first, and we discovered that it would dry after a good 10 minutes. To combat this, we developed a system where there would be a glue station and a writing station, where we could decorate the clips that had dried in time. Another challenge was making each clip unique and creative. We helped each other come up with ideas, and in the end, the teamwork really paid off.
The project involved my team, my closest friends who, to me, are like family. Everyone contributed in their own way, whether it was by designing, gluing, or coming up with fun messages to go with the clips. It was a group effort, and honestly, it brought us closer together.
Through this experience, I learned that small things can make a big difference. We saw people smile and get excited when they found a clip on their bag or jersey. It reminded me that kindness doesn’t have to be a big gesture — even tiny acts can make someone’s day. I also learned how fun it is to create something by hand and share it with others.
