U.S. News: 8-year-Old Girl Who Sends Beaded Crosses to First Responders Has Reached All 50 States
Just after a couple of months after she made it her mission to help protect first responders across the United States through small beaded crosses, the 8-year-old girl from Illinois has announced that she has finally reached all 50 states.
Arianna Nichols has been making tiny crosses out of beads and has sent them to police officers and firefighters around the country and though she only started around September of last year, she now dispatched over 11,000 hand-made crosses to responders in all 50 states.
Arianna's mom, Laura Nichols, helps the young girl in her search for responders who might be interested in her crosses. The family iterates that they wouldn't want to force the girl's handicrafts on anyone who doesn't want it. After all, Arianna's goal is to help remind officers to pray.
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In a recent interview with People, Arianna said, "I want to protect our police and firefighters. I know that a plastic cross will not protect them, but I hope it reminds them to pray, and I hope God will answer their prayers."
Laura calls departments across the country and asks if they want to receive their own hand-made crosses from Arianna's collection. She continues to make the beaded emblems for when her mom finds other departments to dispatch her handicrafts.
Early this year, Fox 2 honored Arianna's efforts through the Pay It Forward award. Collinsville's assistant fire chief nominated her for the award after he heard of the young girl's desire to help protect responders through the crosses.
The most recent office that received Arianna's gifts is the Lawton Police Department. According to Southwest Oklahoma News, the wife of one officer who works at the department's Gang Unit contacted Arianna after she discovered the devout girl's mission.
The LPD has received Arianna's crafts in February and they were distributed to around 180 officers in the department. Police Chief James T. Smith proudly declared, "We're the first department in Oklahoma to receive them."
Laura continues to look for offices where they can dispatch the crosses made from Perler beads. Arianna is planning to reach other respondents outside the U.S. now that she has reached all of the United States.
