The Bridging the Gap Club at the Wyoming Valley West Middle School will hold a fashion show on Thursday to benefit the American Heart Association and Candy’s Place, a cancer resource center in Forty Fort.

The club, which was formed a year ago as a way to bring students and staff together, started with just eight members in grades six, seven and eight. In less than a year, membership grew to more than 30 students from a variety of cultural backgrounds, said organizer Sharon Green.

Green, a special education aide at the school, said the American Heart Association and Candy’s Place are two charities that hold a special place in her heart. Her father underwent triple bypass surgery and some of her co-workers have been affected by cancer.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, someone in the U.S. has a heart attack every 34 seconds. Each minute, someone in the U.S. dies from a heart-related event. In 2010, heart disease cost the U.S. $316.4 billion. This total includes the cost of health care services, medications and lost productivity.

Candy’s Place was named after founder Penny Cunningham’s sister, Candy, who was diagnosed with lung cancer in 1998 and died seven months later. She was 46. The center offers support to cancer patients and their loved ones.

Twenty-four students will be modeling a variety of styles in the three-part show, ranging from ball gowns to after-school duds and western wear. The new clothing was purchased by the students’ parents specifically for the show, said Green.