(Hermosa Beach, CA)– Local business owners, Pat & Stefanie Dacy, of 3V Signs & Graphics, jumped at the opportunity to provide Baby Alex with some vibrant color for his dull situation, creating and installing a bright and playful graphic wrap onto his plastic helmet that he is required to wear 23 hours per day, in order to correct a medical condition called Plagiocepholy.
Sign Biz® Members Join Wrap Heroes Project
The plastic helmet provides a brace to redirect cranial growth, is white in color, and rather unattractive with a clinical appearance. “As a mother and grandmother, a medical helmet isn’t the first thing you want to see on your baby’s head when you look at them. It’s their beautiful smile, chubby cheeks and big bright eyes. I know it would pain my heart to see a helmet on my child or grandchild’s head,” says 3V owner Stefanie Dacy. So when Mrs. Dacy received a call from a local mom, looking for someone to wrap her son’s cranial helmet, she said, “Yes we can wrap that helmet, and there is no charge!”
Yes we can wrap that helmet, and there is no charge!
The Dacys are members of a worldwide organization called the Sign Biz Network founded by Sign Biz, Inc., and first heard of wrapping cranial helmets when another member, Toby Stephens, sent word out to all 200 shops in the network about a nonprofit organization called Wrap Buddies. Stephens had already been involved as a provider for some time, and encouraged everyone in the Sign Biz Network to get involved. He shared his insights and actively engaged in the very active message group that connects all members of the Sign Biz network. The initiative later became a Sign Biz Network inspired cause, called Wrap Heroes, where Stephens’ hundreds of designs could be accessed.
Wrap Buddies is a non-profit group that was started in June of 2009 by Tommy Strader, Founder and President of 360 Wraps in Dallas, TX after he received his first phone call from a father asking to wrap his little baby’s helmet. When Mr. Strader experienced the positive impact the wrapped helmet had on that one family, he realized that donating wrapped baby helmets for families was a way he and his team at 360 Wraps could give back to the community. Wrap Buddies became an official non-profit 501(c)(3), using donations to expand the program reach into wrapping scoliosis braces and prosthetic limbs for children, as well as to wrap medical devices at children’s hospitals.
3V Signs and Graphics commissioned their Graphic Artist, Isaac Ramirez to design a delightful Astronaut in Training wrap for Baby Alex. The visuals consisted of bold blues, colorful shading, and playful graphics. Once the graphics were installed on the helmet, it created a fun, vibrant look to the once plain head piece. It was an outstanding result even though it was the first one Mr. Ramirez had ever done. “I can’t tell you how many compliments we are getting about this helmet! Everyone loves it and it makes the baby much more approachable. Even the technician at Cranial Technologies was impressed and she sees them all the time,” said Alex’s mother, Lara.
The helmets help reshape the skull which is not only a cosmetic concern, but also helps prevent other medical concerns. The helmets are very expensive and usually not covered by insurance. Wraps Buddies is a free service that brings much joy to the families of children with Plagiocephaly. “We are pleased to expand the “Vibrant” part of our business to cranial helmets in partnership with Wrap Buddies: Building a little color into not so colorful situations,” explained Dacy.
For more about Wrap Buddies and the Sign Biz Network, visit: Sign Biz Network Supports Wrap Buddies
“Stefanie and Pat are highly successful entrepreneurs who enjoy finding ways to give back. They know it is a key component of a fulfilled life,” says Teresa M. Young, President of Sign Biz, Inc.
