Emily Dawson, a freshman at Eagle Grove High School, has found a way to fill her days since the Governor ordered all schools in Iowa closed. Like most students, the first few days were an unexpected break that gave them the welcome opportunity to do absolutely nothing. But those days quickly turned into boredom since the quarantine was keeping everyone inside. Emily decided she was going to use this new-found extra time to do something worthwhile. She was going to sew a mask for her brother who has asthma.
“A trip to Hobby Lobby for supplies turned into a huge project,” joked her father, Rick Dawson.
“I have a couple of donors that I wanna say a big thank you to,” added Emily. “I purchased $230 of material and couple of new scissors and sewing machine needles not knowing when I could get them again.”
After her brother’s mask was completed, she decided she was going to join the movement of countless people in Wright County, and thousands across the nation, making masks for those desperately in need of them because of the COVID-19 pandemic. She wanted to do her part for those everyday heroes in Eagle Grove, so Emily searched the internet, watching several tutorials until she found one she liked. Then she began sewing mask after mask, making a supply to send to the staff and residents at Rotary Senior Living. But her efforts didn’t stop there. Soon family and friends began asking for one of her masks as well. The first week she made 47 masks. Then came a request for an additional 70 for the care center.
What started as a way for Dawson to help other people will now in fact help her as well. She is using it for a Boy Scout service project. She posted some of her masks on Facebook to share with her online friends, and something even bigger happened. The Winnebago Council of Boy Scouts got ahold of Emily and asked her to make a video of her process so that other Scouts throughout the region could join in on making masks for their areas.
“It’s super cool when you see your kids do amazing things,” said her father proudly.
“And it makes me feel good (to be helping people),” added Emily.
Of course, none of this would have been possible in the first place if Emily didn’t know how to sew. She has that skill thanks to the ladies of the Robert Blue Middle School Sewing Club that she joined in fifth grade and has been sewing ever since. She gives a big shout out “Thank you” to them for that. Who would have known that them helping her a few years ago would lead to her helping so many in the future?!
Dawson is not charging for the masks she is making. However, if anyone has any extra supply of fabric, needles, etc., those donations would be greatly appreciated and put to good use.
“I have a very good friend that works in the hospital as a nurse. That’s who I initially made the masks for,” explained Emily. “And then it just took off. I saw something that I could do to help. It’s super cool that I can do something to make a difference.”
When not busy sewing, Dawson and her family have been delivering Meals on Wheels to help out a different segmentt of the hometown community. It just goes to show, you’re never too young to make a big difference.
