On A Positive Note: 89-Year-Old Greenfield Woman Has Sewn 1,600 Masks To Hand Out In Community
GREENFIELD, Pa. (KDKA) -- An 89-year-old woman and her three daughters are on a mission to make sure everyone wears a mask.
Give 89-year-old Jackie Stebler a sewing machine and some festive fabric, and she'll stitch together a mask in a matter of minutes.
She's quickly becoming known as Greenfield's mask-making maven, bringing a bag full of face coverings with her everywhere she goes. If she sees someone without a mask, she gives one away for free, along with some advice.
"A lot of places, you can't go in without a mask and I think everyone should have one," Stebler told KDKA's Kym Gable. "And I really like to sew."
Jackie's three daughters have been helping her with her charitable venture.
"We can all take advantage of the fact that if we wear a mask, social distance and wash our hands, that we can make a dent in that problem and I think my mom understands. She wants everyone to wear a mask," said Kristine Stebler.
Another one of Jackie's daughters, Kathie Morrow, came up with the idea after showing her mom a mask that she made several months ago.
"And (she) hasn't stopped making them since," Morrow said. "I knew my mom would pick up on it really quickly. She has such a big heart, and she walks around with a grocery bag full of masks everywhere she goes."
Her masks and her compassionate personality are well-known throughout the community.
"I think it's well-deserved. She's doing it from the heart and just loving every second of it," said Jackie's daughter, Korene.
Gable: How many have you made so far?
Jackie: 1,600.
Gable: 1,600? That's incredible.
Jackie: "Yeah, there are all different kinds, too."
Although Jackie does take requests from friends and neighbors, she's not running an actual business operation with orders or deliveries. But if you happen to see her around Greenfield, she'll likely have a big bag of masks with her.
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