Q&A
Nicole Justice of Aurora recently donated more than 100 teddy bears to the Aurora Fire Department to be given to kids who are caught up in emergency situations.
The 14-year-old is home-schooled and lives with her parents, Joyce and Greg, and the family’s three cats – Buttercup, Scamper and Odie.
A member of the 4-H Club and the Girl Scouts, Nicole likes to dance, play piano, sing and play golf.
She plans to go to college and study dance and fine arts and someday own a dance studio. She’s thinking of attending Colorado College.
Q: What compelled you to do this?
A: My mom actually worked with a rescue team, and I remember her telling me that there are kids that are on ambulances and firetrucks and when stuff happens they get really scared. I thought, what would comfort them and what would help them out? And I thought teddy bears would work. I started collecting them and got them at garage sales and stuff, and I thought. “Why not make them?” I decided to make a pattern and start sewing.
Q: Do you have a background in sewing or doll making?
A: I’ve been sewing for about five years. At the Smoky Hill 4-H Club, I make all sorts of stuff. Clothing and stuff like that.
Q: Where did you get the materials?
A: A lot of it was from bluejeans and denim and stuff. Some of it was actually from my mom, and a lady at Hancock Fabrics (a local store) named Sue decided to donate some fabrics.
Q: What are your plans for the future?
A: In each of the boxes I donated, I put a form at the bottom saying, “For more refills, please contact Nicole” and my phone number. Pretty much, I plan to donate more. I plan on donating boxes of bears to more fire stations and getting people in my 4-H Club to help me.
– Kieran Nicholson, Denver Post staff writer
