Boy's tie business benefits foundation

NEW YORK (AP) -- Like mother, like son. Eleven-year-old Christopher Merrill, of Long Island, N.Y., wanted to contribute to the Bone Marrow Foundation that his mother founded. He decided to raise money by designing and selling ties.
That's how Town Togs was born. (Christopher does indeed wear a tie each school day as part of his uniform.)
The brand's dragonfly-motif ties were worn by members of the New Amsterdam Boys Choir during Cynthia Rowley's runway show during February's New York Fashion Week. Other popular designs feature Labrador retrievers, basketballs, Vespas and guitars.
While the ties are made specifically for boys, a few of the motifs are available in larger sizes for men. There also are zipper ties for younger boys, so they -- and their mothers -- don't have to worry about the knots.