When other kids are relaxing in the evening after completing their at-home school work, 8-year-old Amelia Kelley is hard at work making face masks on her stepmom’s sewing machine.

Kelley and her stepmother, Gabrielle Floyd, of Bradford, said they have been making face masks for relatives and friends, and more recently for community members, after they learned there is a large need for the protective items in town.

Amelia, a second-grader at George G. Blaisdell Elementary School, has been distance-learning at home since schools closed, and will remain closed the rest of the year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Floyd, who has been sewing since her teenage years, said she pulled out her sewing machine after she heard that JOANN Fabrics and Crafts in Olean, N.Y. was providing starter kits for people to learn how to make the masks.

“I’ve been teaching my stepdaughter how to sew and I thought this would be a nice project for her to learn, too,” Floyd said of face mask sewing. She said when she posted their face mask project on Facebook, the response was huge as a large number of people need and want them.

“We’ve made a lot of masks … probably about 50” so far, Floyd said, noting they just began the sewing project Sunday. “Amelia is very interested in sewing, and I’ve shown her a little bit here and there.”

Floyd said they would accept 100 percent cotton material or other supplies for their work if area residents have it to donate.

As for those they’ve helped in the community, she said they provided the masks to a healthcare worker who was unable to obtain one.

“A nurse reached out to me and said that where she worked didn’t provide her with masks,” she shared. “So she’s actually stopping by here to get some for her whole family.”

Amelia even provided face masks to her teacher when she spoke of her new hobby to the educator during a Zoom session for her school lessons.

“After the meeting, Amelia told (her teacher) ‘Look at the masks we’re making,’” Floyd remarked.

“And (her teacher) said, ‘Oh, can I get two?’”

Amelia agreed to provide the items, which were picked up by her teacher Friday.

For her part, Amelia said she has enjoyed learning how to make the masks, and “likes how they look” on the outside when she finishes sewing them.

When asked why she likes helping other people by making masks for them, Amelia replied, “Because it feels good.”

For more information on the masks, or to donate sewing materials to Floyd, send emails to: gabriellefloyd172@yahoo.com