Making, Delivering Masks: Meriden Hero

MERIDEN, CT — When times are tough, heroes emerge. We all know someone who's making a difference right now as we live through unprecedented times. Here at Patch, we've launched an initiative to help recognize these everyday heroes.

This submission comes from Jeffrey Stark, who has nominated Carol Stark.

Where the nominee lives:
Meriden

Name of the nominee:
Carol L. Stark

Is the nominee considered an “essential worker”?:
No

What does the nominee do for work?:
She makes face masks for those in need in our community

Why do you believe the nominee should be recognized or honored?
For the last three weeks my wife has worked 8-10 hours a day to make Covid-19 face masks for people in our community who are in desperate need of these masks but for reasons beyond their control they are not able to procure them. It all started out from a friend of hers who because of a compromised immune system needed masks for her family members. She made about a half dozen for that family and delivered them right to them at home, {social distancing} was maintained at all times. Since then, because of her friends through the magic of Social Media, the word started to get around and she started to receive requests for masks. All she asked was adult or child and how many do you need. To this date she has made and delivered more than 200 masks those who requested in the Meriden / Wallingford area. She even made some for my friend and his family in Mississippi.

What’s one thing you want everyone to know about your hero?:
She is absorbing most of the cost of the materials being a crafter she began with a sizable inventory of materials which have now started to dwindle. The fact that she is doing this out of genuine desire to help people motivates her and fuels her perserverance to try and get masks to those who have asked. She would have a fit if she knew I was promoting her for any type of recognition.

>> Do YOU have a local hero you would like us to know about? Share their story here.

All photos included in this post are owned by identified third parties who have given Patch the right to use explicitly for the Patch Local Heroes series.