On April 13, firefighters made a special visit to the Brier home of two teenaged sisters who donated handmade teddy bears and pillows to Snohomish County Fire District 1 to comfort children on emergency calls.

Sisters Tara Leahy, 19, and Tiffany Leahy, 17, design and hand-stitch the teddy bears and pillows using supplies purchased with money they’ve earned working part-time at a construction company. Over the past year, the Leahys have made teddy bears and pillows for Children’s Hospital in Seattle, the Lynnwood Police Department and the Brier Police Department.

This isn’t their only philanthropic project. The teens send care packages and letters on a regular basis to a 32-soldier Striker Brigade. Tiffany Leahy is also the author of Annadyomene, a novel for preteens and teens. Proceeds from book sales benefit the Children’s Hospital Neurology Department.

“These girls are truly remarkable. We appreciate their spirit of giving and are proud to receive teddy bears and pillows they made for our firefighters give to children we see on emergency calls,” said Leslie Hynes, public information officer for Fire District 1.

Fire District 1 is the largest provider of fire and emergency medical services in Snohomish County, with full-time staffing at 12 fire stations. The department serves more than 200,000 residents in the unincorporated communities of Silver Firs, Eastmont, Mariner, Lake Serene, Picnic Point, Martha Lake, Mariner, Lake Stickney, Norma Beach, Hilltop, Hilton Lake, Pioneer Trails; the cities of Brier, Edmonds and Mountlake Terrace; and the town of Woodway.