Outlook resident Kimberley Case was recently featured on the 6:00 news with CTV Saskatoon for reaching out and doing her part in the COVID pandemic by sewing countless protective masks for those who need them.聽 After she makes a new batch of them, Case leaves the masks in a safely accessible area of her home for anyone who wishes to drop by and grab a couple.聽 Beside the masks, she also leaves a donation bucket for those who can spare a few bucks to go towards a number of charitable efforts.
Unfortunately, it seems as though Kimberley鈥檚 television exposure may have grabbed some unwanted attention.
Case told The Outlook on Friday, May 8 that two people had recently visited her home and made off with all the donated money, as well as a large handful of the masks, several of which fell onto her lawn and into the street.
鈥淎 couple was here one day last week, driving an old beige beater car,鈥� Kimberley described to this reporter.聽 鈥淗e had about $80 in hand, and she was running across the lawn and street to the car with masks falling.鈥�
Case picked up the dropped masks 鈥� which are contained in separate baggies 鈥� and placed them back in her basket.聽 Although the incident was upsetting, she has chosen to be forgiving and chalks it up to the unpredictable times that all of us are living in right now.
鈥淚 just let them take it,鈥� said Case.聽 鈥淚f they need it that bad, well, I can make more.聽 What can you do?聽 Desperate people, I guess.聽 I could have caught them, but I wasn鈥檛 into a street showdown and I thought, if they鈥檙e that hard up.鈥�.I just shook my head.鈥�
The donation bucket operated on an honor system at first, but now that鈥檚 obviously changed as Kimberley keeps the donation bucket empty, taking the cash into her home after every visit from the public and after every new dollar figure is dropped.
Case says it doesn鈥檛 seem right to take the matter to police.
鈥淣o, it doesn't seem right to investigate when I can't name them and didn't even think to get a plate number,鈥� she said.聽 鈥淎nd in Covid desperate times, I can just make more.鈥�
Despite the troubling theft, Kimberley marches on with her work in sewing and packaging new protective masks for use by anyone who needs them.聽 The money that comes in from the donation bucket goes to a number of initiatives, including the Outlook Food Bank, the Salvation Army, the Red Cross, and Doctors Without Borders.
The work certainly keeps Case busy, but it鈥檚 something that鈥檚 near and dear to her heart.
鈥淚 really, really, really don't want to see anyone lose a loved one,鈥� she said. 聽鈥淚 have so many friends with compromised immune systems, lots in their 70-80's who are special friends to me. 聽I would be devastated if they got sick because they couldn't find a mask.鈥�
