ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (CBS4) – When a Colorado small business owner heard students in Parkland, Florida were having trouble sleeping after the deadly school shooting, she knew she had to help.
Melanie Avjean, founder of Flipside Pillow, designs pillowcases with fabric containing positive messages on one side and blank fabric on another.
Each includes a marker so other shapes and inspiring words can be written on the other. She came up with the idea to help kids in hospitals, foster care, away at camp and more.
"Hopefully they'll sleep better and wake up happier," Avjean told CBS4's Kelly Werthmann.
Never did she imagine her special designs would be sent to survivors of a school shooting, including the daughter of Avjean's friend.
Stout's 17-year-old daughter, Liz, was in one of the classrooms where students were killed on Valentine's Day.
It is a pain Colorado students know all too well. That's why Englewood High School sophomore Jessie Albert joined a group of volunteers at The Guild to sign and send 300 pillowcases to students in Florida.
"Even though they're going through this, people love them all around the world and they're not alone," she said.
Other families and friends joined the pillowcase signing, including a retired teacher who worked with students during the Columbine shooting.
"Love and sweet dreams to you from Colorado," Lori Snyder said as she read her message written inside a heart on a blue pillowcase.
It's a love and support like Albert's that gives the Stout family hope.
The pillowcases will be shipped to the Stout Family later in the week. Debby said she looks forward to handing them out to students and others in need.
Before the pillowcases are sent, they will be stored at The Guild in Englewood until Thirsday.
Avjean encourages other people to come by to share their messages for Parkland. Anyone interested in donating to pay for shipping the pillowcases can send an email to mel@flipsidepillow.com.
Watch the full story on CBS4 here.
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