Miriam Looker Linscott, 94, has sewn over 600 cloth masks since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Each of her masks are donated to her stepson’s, Dr. Joe Linscott’s, family practice to help him and patients stay safe despite a shortage of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). As an avid quilter, she said she was able to quickly transform her usual sewing to mask making.
(Photo submitted)
—
The Stay at Home order isn’t stopping local resident Miriam Looker Linscott from playing an active role in the COVID-19 response.
Looker Linscott, 94, is a resident at Walnut Crossing Senior Living Community. Since the beginning of the pandemic, she has sewn over 600 cloth masks.
“My (step) mother has stepped up to fill a need similar to Rosie the Riveter during World War II when the women stepped up to build ships and planes for the war,” her stepson, Dr. Joe Linscott said.
Looker Linscott said she quickly hatched the idea to begin making masks after watching the news and learning of the shortage of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) throughout the nation.
She said the shortage resonated with her because her stepson, a physician, relies on PPE to keep his patients and himself safe.
Each of Looker Linscott’s homemade masks are donated to Linscott Family Practice, which provides each patient their own mask and additional ones for family members if needed. The doctor’s office has also donated a batch to Monarch Nursing Home.
Looker Linscott said it’s her way of “keeping my (step) son healthy.”
As an active quilter, Looker Linscott said she already had plenty of fabric, donated by the First United Methodist Church, that could be used for masks.
“She is a talented quilter and when the need arose she changed her focus to face masks,” her stepson said. “I like to say she retooled her assembly line from quilts to masks in a moment’s notice.”
Although Looker Linscott said mask making isn’t quite the creative outlet quilting is, she said “it keeps me going” to know her stepson is using them.
She said she doesn’t know exactly who she is making each mask for and she doesn’t often hear a personal thank you, but her stepson says his patients “really like them.”
“You’re helping people one mask at a time, right Miriam?” said Director of Marketing at Walnut Crossing Debra Knurek.
“Maybe ten,” Looker Linscott replied with a laugh.
Looker Linscott said she aims to make 10 masks a day, although she works ahead and makes extras on some days.
On Saturdays, she meets with the quilting group at Walnut Crossing so she can use her stitching skills there.
Looker Linscott is already well acquainted with donating her work to those in need. She quilts with a group organized by First United Methodist Church that creates about 200 quilts a year. The quilts are donated to first responders and families in need.
With her usual sewing amped up to create masks, Looker Linscott’s sewing machine struggled to keep up. Linscott said his wife, Looker Linscott’s daughter-in-law, needed to repair the machine at one point “to keep the assembly line humming.”
Even a temporarily broken machine didn’t slow Looker Linscott down. She continued to make masks with an extra sewing machine at Walnut Crossing during the repair.
Knurek said Looker Linscott’s masks are a blessing that reflects her “brilliant and giving” nature. Beside the medical benefits, she said her diligent work has inspired a sense of camaraderie at Walnut Crossing and beyond.
“She’s gotten other people to thinking, ‘What can I do to help?’” Knurek said.
Looker Linscott said she is even “recruiting” other women at Walnut Crossing who are going to begin sewing masks as well.
Knurek said Looker Linscott’s work is a reminder that “seniors have such active parts in our community.”
Although her age may require her to get creative when looking for ways to help, Looker Linscott said she values being part of a community that comes together to support each other.
“When you get to be the age that I am, there are very few ways you can help people, but when you find one, you tend to do it,” Looker Linscott said.
She added, “there are a lot of things I can’t do anymore, but I can make quilts.”