NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A Metro school bus driver asked for cloth masks for students, and she was overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from the community.
Metro Nashville Public School bus driver Christy McWhirter picks students up and drops them off at Warner Arts Magnet Elementary School.
"These kids don’t have anything, and sometimes these kids get sad, and I like to be the first face they see in the morning which is what I am because I give them hope every day, and I remind them every day that they are important, that they are special, and that people really do care about the," McWhirter said.
During the pandemic, McWhirter is in-charge of making sure students always have a mask on while on the bus.
"I give them a new mask every morning, a disposable, and by the time the afternoon rolls around, they’re getting back on the bus, I have to get them another one because they’ve already chewed a hole in it, or it’s been ripped apart,” McWhirter said.
Recently she posted to the Hip Donelson Facebook Page asking for durable cloth masks for her students, and she was blown away by the support.
"It means a lot to me. I grew up poor, and I grew up not having anything, and just the smallest kindness goes a long way," McWhirter said.
She was excited to finally distribute some of the cloth masks after school on Monday.
"It feels great to know that people care about these children and what they go through, so it means a lot," McWhirter said.
Another set of volunteers has decided to monogram cloth masks in case this batch gets lost.
"To take away from this, what I was wanting is for these children to feel like they’re important and needed and loved, and that they mean something at least to me," McWhirter said.
We all have to ask for help every once in a while, and she's glad she did."Very very appreciative."
