Four years ago, a stroke changed Mack’s life forever and she eventually found a new home at Manson’s Good Samaritan Society’s long-term care center. Despite the stroke paralyzing her left arm, Mack still enjoys her favorite pastime.

Recently, Mack was visiting with Cassie Darr, the activity director at Good Samaritan Society — Manson, and she mentioned a quilt she had started nearly 20 years ago, but never got around to finishing. The quilt was a collage of four generations of Mack’s family, featuring pieces of fabric from clothes worn by her, her mother, her grandmother and her great-grandmother.

“My mom and I sewed a lot,” Mack said.

She said she started sewing at age 10, making clothes for her Barbie dolls. That eventually evolved into Mack sewing clothes for herself.

-Submitted photo
Cassie Darr, activities director at Good Samaritan Society - Manson, sews fabric sections while resident Linda Mack shows off the quilt the two finished together recently.

“I kind of grew up in a generation where you didn’t have a lot, so you had to make do with what you had,” she said.

Her parents would buy her two new outfits each year from a store, so she had to make her own clothes to help fill her closet.

“Waste not, want not,” Mack said.

When Darr learned of Mack’s unfinished quilt, she offered to help Mack complete it. With her good arm, Mack is still able to cut fabric and pin the pieces together, so Darr helped with running it through the sewing machine and putting a backing on the blanket.

The finished blanket is small enough for Mack to use as a “lap robe” and cover her left arm to keep her warm and cozy this winter.

As a resident of Manson’s Good Samaritan Society, Mack keeps busy with resident activities and crafting in her room. Using scraps of plaid shirts worn by her father, Mack is planning a quilt for her brother.

Next, Mack and Darr will be working on the quilt for her brother, as well as a quilted apron for Darr.

“I’m the activities director, so I’m always messy, covered in glue and baking and all the stuff,” Darr said.

Mack also might try running the sewing machine herself — she’s pretty sure if the table can be raised a bit that she can run it with no problems.

“There’s limitations, but there’s nothing impossible — we can find a way around it,” Darr said.