95-year-old woman makes blankets for babies across the world


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SANDY — A 95-year-old great-grandmother is proving that age is just a number.

Instead of slowing down, in the last decade, Mary Southerland kept active by sewing every day.

Her goal: to comfort children around the world.

“It makes me feel good to make blankets for babies,” Southerland said.

The blankets she sews in her Sandy home have been given to children in Kenya, Peru and even Nepal. It all started back in 2010 when her granddaughter brought some with her on a medical mission trip to Kenya. When Southerland’s granddaughter came back to Utah, she showed her grandmother pictures of the women wrapping their newborns in her blankets.

“They were very happily received,” Southerland said after seeing pictures from the trip. “I was very thankful to know that I was appreciated, you know, that what I did was appreciated."

The experience inspired Southerland and since then, she has sewed thousands of blankets. Southerland believes in the last five years, she’s spent $22,000 on materials to create the gifts. She said the project keeps her young and active.

“I will continue to do this,” Southerland said. “My age isn’t stopping me.”

Southerland is always looking for donated materials. She prefers working with flannel fabric. Southerland has a GoFundMe account* to help her raise funds for materials.


*KSL.com does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisors and otherwise proceed at your own risk.

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