Global Pandemic? Don’t Forget to Call Your Mother
Mount Morris, NY April 7, 2020 – When the world is flipped on its head, there’s one place you can always turn: to mom. After all, “mom” turned upside down is “wow.”
That’s an important mantra at Hilltop Business Services, as the local organization continues to deliver essential janitorial services during the coronavirus pandemic.
With the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommending that people consider wearing face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain, Hilltop staff turned to their sewing-savvy mothers for help.
The moms’ response: “Don’t worry. We’ve got you covered. Literally.”
Photos courtesy The Arc of Livingston-Wyoming.
Hilltop Habilitation Coordinator Lyndi Carson’s mother, Diane Mackie of Allegany, and Molly Smith of Geneseo, who is Vocational Assistant Emily Goho’s mom, have been sequestered at their sewing machines, producing dozens of 100 percent cotton masks per CDC specifications for the Hilltop workforce. Also contributing to the effort is seamstress Cindy Parker, an Arc
employee herself, who has already produced at least 16 masks this week.
The handmade masks are helping to protect a uniquely integrated workforce of individuals with and without disabilities. Hilltop is the work program of The Arc of Livingston-Wyoming, a private, not-for-profit provider of services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Volunteer mask making by Diane, Molly, and Cindy allows the Hilltop workforce to continue cleaning at a number of essential businesses, including utility, transportation, and disability services providers that keep our community running smoothly during unprecedented times.
According to Lyndi, it’s all in a day’s work for her mother. After all, Diane is a mom. And moms, thankfully, are no stranger to the “wow” factor.
“She has a craft room the size of the Hilltop lunch room filled with material, supplies and crafts,” Lyndi says. “She is ready for the apocalypse, and honestly I think she likes being quarantined in her home!”