(This post originally appeared on The Washington Post)
At first you wouldn’t think that Englewood, Colo.’s Flipside Pillow has a unique line of products. They just sell pillows, hats and sock, right? Sure, they’re soft and snugly with sayings like “sleep well dream big” and “cherish each moment.” But what really makes them unique is that they can be personally autographed and decorated. Now, Flipside’s owner is using her skills — along with a group of volunteers — to deliver 300 of these pillowcases to students at Florida’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, all with special messages from their community.
The horrific shooting has resonated deep in Englewood, a community only 15 minutes away from the also-horrific 1999 shootings at Columbine High School.
Many of the students at the Florida high school are reeling from last week’s tragic shooting which took the lives of 17 of their friends and teachers.
After hearing some parents say their children were having difficulty sleeping, Melanie Avjean, the store’s founder and so-called chief everything officer decided to take action. She rounded up a bunch volunteers and set to work doing what she does best: signing pillowcases with note of support and packing them up for shipment.
“Hopefully they’ll sleep better and wake up happier,” Avjean told a local Denver television station.
Many in Avjean’s community — including a retired teacher who worked with students during the Columbine shooting — jumped on the opportunity to help. The result: 300 customized pillowcases autographed with messages of love and hope are on their way to Parkland, Fla.
“We are overwhelmed by the outreach,”said Richard Stout, a parent of one of the surviving students who will be handing out the pillowcases. “It’s just been wonderful in a dark time.”
This isn’t the only instance of Flipside giving back to its community. Avjean has in the past donated products and proceeds from her sales to causes supporting cancer research and programs to combat hunger.
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