CARROLLTON, Mo. — A family in Carrollton, Missouri, wanted to put their free time and sewing skills to good use. They decided to make masks and send them wherever they are needed.
Stacie Arnold said the idea started when her 64-year-old mother, Brenda Arnold, had plenty of material and free time.
"We went through three, 14-gallon totes of material in a week," Stacie Arnold said. "We've taken in donations from all over the county, different areas have donated money."
Brenda Arnold said she likes that the work gives her a way to stay busy while doing her part.
"It makes me feel good knowing that I can be doing something besides just roaming around thinking, 'what am I going to clean today,'" Brenda Arnold said.
The mother and daughter have recruited other family members to help out, which has allowed them to produce thousands of masks.
In a town of a little more than 3,000 people, word travels fast. The family has received monetary and material donations. Thanks to community support that pays for shipping, the masks are sent all over the Kansas City metro and the country.
"They've been shipped out to Florida, California, Kentucky," Stacie Arnold said.
They decide where to send them by word of mouth and social media. Many of them go to companies and retirement homes.
Stacie Arnold said the work can be very tiring.
"It's exhausting. I mean there's some days we work 12, 13 hours sewing straight," Stacie Arnold said.
However, she said knowing they are making a difference for those who need it help makes it all worth it.
"We're grateful that we're able to help people do this and provide for them," Stacie Arnold said. "As long as we have supplies and demand, we're going to keep sewing."
