Pat Larson, like many, works from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Larson has worked in Accounts Payable for New Covenant Academy for 12 years, but work is slow.

Work is slow because with nobody in school, there’s nothing for the school to buy and there’s no accounts to work.

In addition, Larson also values her community.

More specifically her neighborhood.

In a suburb off South Scenic and Seminole in Springfield, rather, the 2000 block of South Hillcrest, Larson reads books like, “The Art of Neighboring” or ”The Turquoise Table” as she strives to be the best neighbor she can to whoever may need her help.

“We need to be able to rely on our neighbors and have them rely on us for things that come up,” Larson says.

“There’s a lot of comfort in that.”

But with work being slow, Larson passes the time by helping her neighbors…

…by sewing.

On a sidewalk by Larson’s house sits a box on top of a tray with a sign that says, “Free Face Masks” with a note at the bottom saying she will continue to make masks for people who need them as long as she has access to the materials.

There are masks with different designs from paw prints to sports in two sizes, adult and children.

Larson started making them after a friend, who is nurse in Bolivar asked for her help.

Once she made some for her friend, Larson made some for her family, then coworkers and even the Victory Mission.

But now she’s working on helping a larger group; the neighborhood, and her community.

Larson says she got the inspiration to help others by making masks in the second week of March after seeing a Facebook post from the Deaconess Health System in Indiana, asking for people make and donate masks to the hospital for workers who need them.

Along with that post was an instructional video on how to make those masks, using fabric and elastic.

“I figure if there’s an official in the video teaching you how to make these, there must be some credibility,” Larson says.

Each mask comes in a plastic Ziploc bag with a note saying, “These are NOT N95 Masks. They are 2 layers of cotton, lined with interfacing. Washed in hot water and dried in hot dryer, but I recommend washing before wearing. To tighten fit, tie a knot in elastic.”

Larson isn’t sure on how long it takes to make a mask. She makes them at groups at a time.

Larson takes two rectangular pieces of fabric, sewing them together with interface in the middle, and uses elastic on the sides for the ears.

When she makes the masks, she actually changed the original instruction for a difference she says could protect those wearing homemade masks.

“I like to use a different material on each side with interface in the middle,” Larson says. “That way you know which side you’ve used, and you don’t risk contaminating yourself.”

As she works from home, Larson is joined by her husband, Gary, who now works from home, teaching classes online as an HVAC instructor at Ozarks Technical Community College.

Pat and Gary have been married for 44 years while living in their neighborhood for the past six.

They live in home with hardwood floors, plants growing in almost every corner of the kitchen.

And as Gary teaches his students through his computer, Pat says she will continue to make masks and help those as long as needed.

“I just really like the idea of you neighbors being your community,” Larson says. “I like our neighbors a lot”.