SABATTUS — Judy Cyr’s sewing hobby since her teenage years took on a new look due to the COVID-19 virus. Working in the cafeteria at Libby-Tozier school in Litchfield when the pandemic struck, she stayed on shortly after the school closed to volunteer her time putting together meals that were being delivered to homes in the community.
However, at 75, she thought it might be prudent to stay at home, since she was at high risk for contracting the virus. Not used to just staying home and doing nothing, she decided to use a piece of fabric she already had (a piece of tablecloth) and along with her sewing talents began to make masks for family, neighbors and friends. When it became a requirement for all to wear a mask when in public, she set a goal to make 500 masks for those in the local community.
Her daughter, Rose Cyr, began distributing the masks to local businesses, where they were to be made available for anyone to take “free of charge.” She also made some home deliveries to local senior citizens who were not going out due to the pandemic. Soon with the help of family — including her sisters, nieces, nephews and some of her great grandchildren — the count continued to increase.
Having made and given away 1000 masks, there appeared to still be a demand for more within the community. With more donated material from friends and family, including her son Bobby Cyr — a U. S. Navy veteran — from Virginia, she continued to spend most of her days cutting/sewing together more masks. Soon she was up to 1,500, setting herself a new goal of 2,000.
To honor the year of the great pandemic, she felt the appropriate number should be 2,020, making that mask out of patriotic material. To help offset costs, people have been dropping off donations at her home.
“If there is material and time available,” she continues to make more masks as they are needed. Nearing the end of May, she has reached the 3,000 mark, with some now going to family and friends out of state. A few have even gone to a family member who is a physician at Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston.
Cyr said she has heard from the local postmaster, as well as other local businesses, how grateful people — especially the elderly– have been being able to get the masks for free. When asked why she is not charging anything, she simply stated she “felt the need in the community was there, and I’m doing my part in helping out.”
As the granddaughter of a WW1 veteran, the widow of a veteran (Robert M. “Moe” Cyr Sr.) and the mother of two veterans — including daughter Susan Davies — she has been active for many years in local organizations and patriotic observances and fundraisers.
Presently, as past president and a longtime member of the Sabattus American Legion Auxiliary Unit 135, she is saving pieces of each of the patterns used in making the many masks to put together and donate a special 2020 pandemic quilt for the auxiliary to raffle off to help make up for funds lost while the Sabattus American Legion building is closed due to the pandemic.
