Special Community Issue

INSPIRING PEOPLE ›› giving

IRMA SMI TH CADLE W GRASSY MEADOWS ,GREENBRIER COUNT Y My COVID-19 Hero A seamstress turns her talents to masks. this covid-19 pandemic has beendifficult for each of us, but it has also brought out the best in some of us. My hero here in Greenbrier County is Mrs. Tammy Cutlip Clay. She is an accomplished seamstress, having operated her own business for about eight years, serving the Greater Greenbrier Valley with professional tailoring and alteration services. During a period of time, she also organized and managed from her studio Mackenzie’s Closet, which provided used and refurbished prom and wedding dresses for disadvantaged members of the local area. Unfortunately, she recently developed an autoimmune illness, which caused her to close her business and attend to her health. As you can see, Tammy has always had a desire and willingness to serve her

so she turned to her natural talents, sat down at her trusty sewing machine, and began the daunting task of making masks. The word quickly spread via social media and, before long, she had a whole cadre of volunteers, both women and men, who also had a desire to be helpful and who were relying on her expertise to guide them along. Among the group are also crocheters making special extension bands for those with sensitivity to the elastic bands. To date, she has sewn and distributed more than 500 of the colorful masks, which are actually washable fabric covers that help to prolong the life of the scarce medical masks worn underneath. She has filled orders from across the state of West Virginia as well as Florida, Idaho, Maryland, and Texas. Several collection stations have been established around the county to accommodate the numerous seamstresses, many of whom are working in remote areas of the community. In fact, Tammy’s nearest neighbor is about four miles away. In addition to being a seamstress extraordinaire, Tammy is a wife, mother, daughter, friend, neighbor, and my hero. Thank you, Tammy, for all your good work and the aid you are providing during this difficult time in our nation’s history.

community. When she read on Facebook about mid-March of the dire need for personal protective equipment (PPEs) at the Charleston Area Medical Center (CAMC), the wheels started turning in her head. After all, she had spent a great deal of time there during her recent treatment procedures. And

son-in-law, Matt Bischof, is one of the leading GFRs in the Dallas area. “Always align yourself with a local, community bank,” he tells them. “Let them get to know you. When times are tough, they’ll be there for you.” One of Robinson’s part-time employees recently became full-time after her second job at a local restaurant was suspended. “She is making a big difference in the office,” he says. Throughout the COVID-19 Crisis,

SARAH BLIZZARD ROBINSON W MORGANTOWN, MONONGALIA COUNTY Experience and Heart Go a Long Way GEICO WV owner Jim Robinson serves customers and colleagues well. not every businessman is as experiencedwithdisasters as Jim Robinson, and, as his wife and helpmate these past 42 years, I’ve seen him in action. After Hurricane Katrina, when his car dealership and inventory in south Mississippi was spared any damage, he became a distributor of new vehicles to the many residents who had lost theirs in the storm. Banks were closed, so with a hearty handshake and a set of keys, reliable cars and trucks flew off of his lot. “I’ll pay you as soon as I can,” many of them said. The honor system was alive and well. Just two years later, in 2007, Robinson would be severely affected by the economic collapse that year. Lessons learned on both fronts have contributed to the GEICO WV owner and mentor’s advice to over a dozen other Geico Field Representatives, or GFRs, across the country, including his brother Steve, who runs the Charleston office, and his youngest daughter Katie, who is one of the youngest new office owners. She recently opened a brand new office in Johnson City, Tennessee. Robinson’s

Robinson has maintained his staff, used safe practices, and been a can-do boss. Though he’s currently closed his door to walk-ins, he and his agents have doubled their efforts to communicate new available discounts. And he’s passing on the valuable lessons that he’s learned from a family of businessmen. His brother Bob has been successful in the car business and has been a consistent mentor. Robinson’s entrepreneurial spirit has made a real difference to both his customers and his associates.

20 wvl • the community issue 2020

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