by Rachel Petty
In addition to the traditional cap and gown, graduates in the Class of 2020 at Gordonsville and Smith County High Schools will have another accessory as they walk across the stage on Friday night: a face mask.
Two local women, Kellie Payne and Christina Hall, have been working diligently over the past week to sew handmade cloth face masks for each and every high school graduate in Smith County.
When plans were announced for a modified graduation ceremony, Kellie and Christina took to their sewing machines.
The two women collected donations in order to purchase special fabric for the occasion—sophisticated black for Smith County High School and royal “Tiger” blue for Gordonsville.
Christina, along with a special helper who she describes as her angel, has made 120 masks for the graduates of Smith County High School.
In the meantime, Kellie has stitched 80 masks for Gordonsville’s graduates.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, Kellie and Christina have sewn hundreds of masks for the community, free of charge.
The two women see it as an opportunity to use their God-given talents to give back to the community they love.
“I’m not a hero,” Christina said. ”I am simply blessed and able to give back to my community the gift given to me by God! He gave me a talent for sewing and I am just giving it back.”
Kellie and Christina have encouraged and cheered each other on, trading tips and fabric and prayers, during the countless hours spent at their sewing machines.
“Each of the masks I make has a little prayer said over it for blessing and protection,” Christina said.
Kellie’s and Christina’s handiwork will be displayed during the modified graduation ceremonies at GHS and SCHS on Friday, May 15, 2020.
Gordonsville’s graduation ceremony will be held at 6:00 p.m. on Turney Ford Field, followed by Smith County’s graduation ceremony at 7:30 p.m. at Owl Stadium.
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