Mostly mask-compliant
Published 6:00 am Wednesday, September 2, 2020
Charlene Blount, of Nottoway, has been faithful to wear her mask when shopping in stores. Pictured here, she shops at Lowe’s on Monday afternoon, Aug. 31. (Photo by Titus Mohler)
From left, Ashley Duffey and her mother, Connie Duffey, pause from shopping at Walmart for a brief photo Monday, Aug. 31. Connie said she pulls her mask down for easier breathing when she is not around others at the store, but when she is around others, she pulls it up out of respect for them. (Photo by Titus Mohler)
Pictured shopping Monday afternoon, Aug. 31, at Lowe’s in Farmville are, from left, Gloria Parran, La’Karia Parran and George Parran. George said he wears his mask all the time in stores but left it in the car this time by mistake after he did not get a reminder from his family. (Photo by Titus Mohler)
Kennedy Mitchell, left, and Libby Waite wear their masks as they shop in Farmville’s Walmart on Monday afternoon, Aug. 31. Mitchell noted having a personal health consideration that gives her extra motivation to always wear her mask when she is out in public. (Photo by Titus Mohler)
Ernie McNeil, left, and Patricia McNeil wear their masks while shopping at Lowe’s on Monday, Aug. 31, accompanied by their dog, Ziva, a Chihuahua-Jack Russell mix. The McNeils mentioned they wear their masks everywhere they go. (Photo by Titus Mohler)
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Some brief observational surveys in Farmville on Sunday, Aug. 30, and Monday, Aug. 31, showed that a large majority of people are wearing masks and wearing them properly.
The Farmville Town Council recently passed an emergency ordinance requiring face coverings while in public spaces, and Longwood University also has strict rules for its students to be masked on campus when outside of the residential areas.
As Longwood students went to and fro between classes on campus during a rainy Monday afternoon, a quick perusal revealed most of them were fully masked. However, one student had his mask pulled down below his mouth and another pulled hers up as she prepared to traverse a small crosswalk.
At Farmville’s Walmart on Monday, almost everyone seen had masks on, though a few masks were not covering their noses.
Kennedy Mitchell and Libby Waite, of Blackstone, were shopping and had their masks on properly. Mitchell noted she is immunocompromised, which helps her make sure to wear her mask when going out.
Connie Duffey, of Keysville, was shopping in a more remote section of the store with her daughter, Ashley Duffey, who was fully masked.
Connie had her own mask pulled below her mouth, and she admitted she is not faithful in wearing it all the way on, but she explained her personal approach to it.
“If I go walking in a crowd, I’ll pull (it) up for respect for them,” she said. “But if I’m over here by myself like I am now, I pull it down so I can breathe.”
A brief survey of customers at Walmart on Sunday evening yielded another large majority wearing their masks correctly, but at least four customers did not have masks on at all, properly or otherwise. A few others did not have them covering their noses.
Another brief survey Monday afternoon at Lowe’s in Farmville was met with a mostly mask-wearing group. Two men were seen without masks.
One of those men was George Parran, of Buckingham, who was shopping with his family, which was fully masked. He was quick to note his maskless state was not a defiant stand but rather a rare oversight.
“I left mine in the car by mistake,” he said. Turning to his family good-naturedly, he added, “I would have had it on, but they didn’t remind me to get out mine.”
Elsewhere in Lowe’s was Charlene Blount, of Nottoway, who was wearing an ornate mask and said she has to be faithful in wearing it.
“You have to wear a mask,” she said. “If not, they turn you around. It’s understandable. I mean, nobody wants to wear them, but this is the world we’re living in now, so they just need to fall in line.”
