Girl Scouts in Malverne learn to bring more ‘laughter in the world’

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Girl Scout Troop 2420 in Malverne took part in a creative, fun-filled program on Feb. 2. Children teamed up with members of the Healing Headbands Project and they learned how to integrate laughter with art. A nonprofit organization based in Sea Cliff, the Healing Headbands Project aims to support children who are hospitalized due to an illness by helping them smile and laugh.

“There isn’t enough laughter in the world,” said Barbara Grapstein, founder of the group. “Laughter heals in so many capacities and it’s a form of exercise, which we don’t do enough of.”

After Grapstein and her partner, Joanie Accolla conducted training exercises to get the girl scouts excited, children decorated headbands in the basement at Our Lady of Lourdes Church.

“They know from their oath that they’re doing something that is helping others,” Grapstein said. “They have that mindset from early on that they’re on this planet for a purpose. The idea is to help each other.”

Grapstein added that the group, which was founded in 2014, has visited 15 hospitals throughout the country. Healing Headbands hopes to expand its reach in the coming years.

“Everybody is healing from something,” Grapstein said. “Whether its someone who didn’t get that job promotion, or someone that is diagnosed with cancer, or something that’s incurable … I would love more laugh-leaders to take on our program and to help us facilitate it.”

For more information on the Healing Headbands Project, visit www.healingheadbands.com.