Red Dirt Diaries: Yukon Man With Down Syndrome Launches Apron-Making Business

What started out as therapy, has turned into a business for a young man in Yukon.

Tanner Joy has Down syndrome. Shelby Hazelbaker is a special education teacher who has worked with the 21-year-old for close to two years.

“He loves to cook and he loves to make pizzas and brownies in the oven. We had this idea of making him an apron,” said Hazelbaker.

Hazelbaker’s grandmother is an avid sewer and provided the equipment to make the first apron. And soon the duo began making them for gifts around the holidays.

“This just became part of our routine,” said Hazelbaker.

“It’s my favorite,” said Joy about sewing.

Next, the two decided to sell the aprons online.

“Visit my website,” said Joy.

At www.tanmansaprons.com you can select from various colors, patterns and styles of aprons.

More than a 150 aprons have been sold in the past year and half.

“We try to hit job skills, life skills, money skills,” said Hazelbaker.

Right now, Joy and Hazelbaker are making 30 aprons to sell together at a Down syndrome conference in Florida in July.

The Down Syndrome Society of Central OK is sponsoring Joy for the conference where he is expected to make a speech.

“He just inspires me to be better,” said Hazebaker who will be a full time special education teacher at a school in the fall.

Despite the job, she promises to keep tanmansaprons.com going with Joy’s help.

“Shelby, for teaching me to sew, thank you,” said Joy.