You may remember back in the spring semester when we highlighted Bella Ott ’23 for her work sewing masking as a personal service project. In March, when the coronavirus pandemic began, Bella sought a way to help others through the time and skills that she had. So when her mother heard from family and friends that people were short on PPE, she got to mask making. While she was attending virtual classes, and finishing up her freshman year at Ursuline, Bella set time aside each weekend to sew masks using patterns she found online in mask-making groups and her sewing machine. From the start of the pandemic into the summer Bella was able to sew 65+ masks earning her nearly 45 hours of service.
This pandemic has been devastating for individuals, families and communities, but amidst the shifting tides of the pandemic, there have been stories of hope and inspiration, including stories of young people, like Bella, who are using their energy, creativity and time to help others. For her project, Bella was featured on City Corner, a current events program that airs on STL TV. She was interviewed by Sarah Thompson and spoke about her work, and what led her to make masks. The interview can be viewed on STL TV’s youtube channel; Bella’s segment begins at 16:27 in the timeline.
We are so proud of Bella for her dedication to living out Serviam and sharing her gifts and talents to benefit her community.
City Corner, as part of STL TV, is a current events program bringing timely and relevant information about St. Louis’ people, places, and events. City officials, community leaders, and others discuss topics like business and economics, sports and entertainment, or neighborhoods and health. STL TV, which is available on cable channel 992 and U-Verse channel 99, serves as a vital link in making local government more accessible to the community via cable television.