9-year-old sewing masks to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19

SCOTTSVILLE, Ky. – An area 9-year-old is helping fight COVID-19 one hand-sewn mask at a time.

Kalia Preston just finished fourth grade at Allen County Intermediate Center in Scottsville, and has been sewing fabric masks for her grandfather and now many others.

“He said that he needed a mask for work and so I got on YouTube and figured out how to work it and then he wore it to work and then everyone else wanted one,” said Kalia.

After figuring out how to use the sewing machine and how to sew masks, she has now made over 100 masks.

All because she told her uncle her dream job.

“My uncle, he usually spoils me a lot. So, I told him that I wanted to be a designer when I grow up, so he got this sewing machine for Christmas,” said Kalia.

Kalia’s mother, Keeysha Preston is doing much of the cutting and measuring to help and her grandfather, Mike Willis has been supplying her with the fabric.

“What I am really proud of, this is a learning experience for her. 15-20 years from now when she’s studying and she is out of college and she looks back on this period and what this county has gone through, she’ll know that she was a part of making everything better,” said Mike Willis.

Making things better and brightening people’s day.

Keeysha says Kalia has been very responsible with her earnings and even used some to buy supplies and a table to sew on.