Former Gamecock helps fellow alumni stay safe by making masks

Shirley Burton is looking out for her fellow Gamecocks, and other people as well. The former South Carolina first baseman/outfielder (1982-1985) has been resourceful and generous in making masks out of her Orlando, Fla., home during the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Shirley Burton

“I’m an athlete. I’m not a sewer!” Burton said with a laugh. “The first time I did it, it took me almost an hour to make one. I watched a video and thought I could do it in under 15 minutes. I have made them all myself.”

Burton is a caregiver to an 87-year-old man whose wife had died two years ago and had left behind a large amount of sewing material. When the COVID-10 pandemic broke out, Burton thought about putting it to good use.

“She was a big sewer, so I saw all this great material in her little sewing room, and I thought I could make masks for my family and friends,” Burton said. “I wasn’t doing it to make money or anything like that. It was just for safety.”

After searching the internet, she found a fabric that was branded with Gamecock logos. Burton has made approximately 300 masks overall, including several dozen special masks out of material with Gamecock logos. 

“I would have bought all the material even if it was 600 yards!”

“It was the most beautiful material I had ever seen, and I thought the people that would appreciate this were my fellow alumni,” Burton said. “It just caught on!”

After reaching out to a few Gamecock alumni, her project took off and 45 masks for alumni were soon ordered and made with more orders coming in. Burton also sent masks to members of the softball coaching staff, and former football standout Sterling Sharpe also wanted one. Unfortunately, she was told that the Gamecock material was discontinued and hard to come by, but she did the best she could!

Coach Beverly Smith

“I had found the company in Michigan that made the fabric and told them it was the most beautiful fabric I had ever seen in my life, and I can’t understand why it was discontinued.” Burton said. “I had already ordered two yards of this material. The company called me back and told me they had 3/8 of a yard, and I said, ‘I’ll take it!’ With so many people interested, I would have bought all the material even if it was 600 yards!”

While it takes her some time to make each one, Burton said the labor of love is worth it.

“I’m not charging anybody for them, and I mail them out to whomever orders them,” Burton said. “The guy I take care of, his wife sewed all her life. She left all this material, and I thought I could put it all to work, so I did. It’s all through love. I just wanted my fellow alumni to be safe.”

While she enjoys her life in Orlando, Burton still has fond memories of her days on campus and enjoys coming back every year for alumni weekend.

“I think there were five girls from Orlando that came to Carolina at the time I did to play,” Burton said. “I wanted to build the program at South Carolina, and that’s what we did. I just love Carolina!”

Burton isn’t the only former Gamecock softball player helping out by making masks for a portion of her community. Check back in to GamecocksOnline.com next week to find out more.