FORT BRAGG -- If you are attending a sporting event or community event, you will more than likely see mascots running around making people laugh, but what about in a grocery store or in your neighborhood?
A bear and a wolf costume have been spotted at several places around Fort Bragg. The person behind the mask is a young, 10-year-old girl named Katie Wiebe. She is just like any other adolescent, except she has a special gift of bringing cheer to everyone she meets in a way that many children her age do not do -- wearing mascot-type costumes.
"I like to make people laugh, and I like it when they want to take pictures with me," said Katie, daughter of Lt. Col. John Wiebe, U.S. Army Forces Command, G-1.
She frequents the commissary with her mother and is well-known by her costumes and loved by all of the cashiers.
"If I go to the commissary to pick up a couple of things real quick and Katie's not with me, the cashiers always ask me about her," said Cozy Wiebe, Katie's mother. "They love it when Katie shows up in her costume."
Spreading cheer to the Fort Bragg community is only the first step in Katie's efforts to bring happiness to those around her. She hopes to one day soon have the opportunity to walk through the halls of the children's wing at Womack Army Medical Center wearing one of her many costumes.
Another extraordinary moment in Katie's life was when she was able to bring her five-year-old neighbor, Gunner out of his shell when she dressed up in her bear costume and visited with him. Gunner ran up to the bear and gave her a big high five and a hug. Gunner is a very shy child who does not talk much. With her unique hobby, she was able to form a friendship with the child, who prior to her visit with him was shy around others.
Her drive to put a smile on people's face is the reason why Cozy and John continue to foster their
daughter's creativity. It's simple, it makes her happy and it is who she has chosen to be.
"We were walking through Wal-Mart one day and Katie was wearing her bear costume. A woman stopped us and thanked us for letting our daughter be unique and be her own person," said John.
Costumes were not the starting point for Katie's creativity.
At an early age, Katie's parents discovered her unique creative and artistic talent when, at only four-years-old, she began drawing pictures that were clearly identifiable to certain cartoon characters, like her first drawing of Bugs Bunny.
Katie did not stop with her drawing, she continued to amaze her parents as she began creating clay sculptures of things she saw in movies or in real life. One particular piece of art she made out of clay was a miniature replica of "Baby Sinclair" from the television series, Dinosaurs.
In addition to her creative and artistic abilities, Katie is also an amazing athlete according to her parents. She played tackle football when they were stationed in Maryland, and will be starting soccer soon.
Katie's talents surpass anything her parents could have ever imagined. They have no idea what she will come up with next, but they look forward to every moment.
When Katie grows up, she hopes to become a veterinarian for large animals, like elephants.
Whether it is in a character costume, behind a puppet wall, drawing, or creating various characters out of clay, you can find Katie in her art room or spreading laughter and cheer throughout the Fort Bragg community. Follow her artistic creations at http://littleladykatie.simplesite.com/.
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