TSA ID checkpoint

Little Acts of Kindness

TSA officer spent her stimulus check to support and thank front-line workers.

TSA Supervisor Samantha Mudge has been making masks to hand out to law enforcement, healthcare workers, pharmacy workers and others in her community.

Mudge remembers what it was like last year, working during the federal government shutdown for several weeks without a paycheck.

“So many people helped us during the government furlough,” Mudge said. “So I felt that I needed to do something to support others” during the pandemic.

A 13-year veteran of the TSA, Mudge works the early 3:15 a.m. shift at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI), Mudge decided to crochet masks for the Calvert County Sheriff’s Department. She crocheted 25 masks in black with a blue line across them—symbolic of the phrase “thin blue line,” which is emblematic of law enforcement—and dropped them off at the Sheriff’s office along with a box of submarine sandwiches from a local shop and a couple pounds of shrimp from a local grocery store.

Still, Mudge felt an internal desire to do more. When her stimulus check arrived in the mail, she made a conscious decision to use that money in ways to back people who have to work during the pandemic. “When I received my check, I looked at it and knew I could do more” to support others during the pandemic, she said. She bought fabric to sew masks, yarn to crochet masks and food to donate.

She sewed 50 masks and donated them to the CalvertHealth Medical Center in Calvert County, Maryland; delivered 30 masks to her local Walmart pharmacy because her pharmacist and pharmacy workers had no masks; and she handed a bag of her masks to healthcare workers who were standing outside waiting for food at a BBQ restaurant.

“I guess you could say they were all random acts of kindness,” Mudge said. She knows that during the pandemic, that her unexpected generosity is appreciated, much like she and her TSA colleagues were grateful for the support of the public during the government shutdown. “It’s just spreading some kindness” during these unusual times, she said.

About the Author

Ralph C. Jensen is the Publisher/Editor in chief of Security Today magazine.

Featured

  • Ransomware Attacks Rise for the First Time in Six Months

    Ransomware attacks have risen for the first time in six months, increasing by 28% month-on-month to 421 attacks. While overall attack volume remained below 500, the uptick may signal a renewed escalation heading into the year’s most active period for cyber criminals. Read Now

  • Report: 47 Percent of Security Service Providers Are Not Yet Using AI or Automation Tools

    Trackforce, a provider of security workforce management platforms, today announced the launch of its 2025 Physical Security Operations Benchmark Report, an industry-first study that benchmarks both private security service providers and corporate security teams side by side. Based on a survey of over 300 security professionals across the globe, the report provides a comprehensive look at the state of physical security operations. Read Now

    • Guard Services

  • Identity Governance at the Crossroads of Complexity and Scale

    Modern enterprises are grappling with an increasing number of identities, both human and machine, across an ever-growing number of systems. They must also deal with increased operational demands, including faster onboarding, more scalable models, and tighter security enforcement. Navigating these ever-growing challenges with speed and accuracy requires a new approach to identity governance that is built for the future enterprise. Read Now

  • Eagle Eye Networks Launches AI Camera Gun Detection

    Eagle Eye Networks, a provider of cloud video surveillance, recently introduced Eagle Eye Gun Detection, a new layer of protection for schools and businesses that works with existing security cameras and infrastructure. Eagle Eye Networks is the first to build gun detection into its platform. Read Now

  • Report: AI is Supercharging Old-School Cybercriminal Tactics

    AI isn’t just transforming how we work. It’s reshaping how cybercriminals attack, with threat actors exploiting AI to mass produce malicious code loaders, steal browser credentials and accelerate cloud attacks, according to a new report from Elastic. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • HD2055 Modular Barricade

    Delta Scientific’s electric HD2055 modular shallow foundation barricade is tested to ASTM M50/P1 with negative penetration from the vehicle upon impact. With a shallow foundation of only 24 inches, the HD2055 can be installed without worrying about buried power lines and other below grade obstructions. The modular make-up of the barrier also allows you to cover wider roadways by adding additional modules to the system. The HD2055 boasts an Emergency Fast Operation of 1.5 seconds giving the guard ample time to deploy under a high threat situation.

  • Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden Door Controls is pleased to announce that, in response to soaring customer demand, it has expanded its range of ValueWave™ no-touch switches to include a narrow (slimline) version with manual override. This override button is designed to provide additional assurance that the request to exit switch will open a door, even if the no-touch sensor fails to operate. This new slimline switch also features a heavy gauge stainless steel faceplate, a red/green illuminated light ring, and is IP65 rated, making it ideal for indoor or outdoor use as part of an automatic door or access control system. ValueWave™ no-touch switches are designed for easy installation and trouble-free service in high traffic applications. In addition to this narrow version, the CM-221 & CM-222 Series switches are available in a range of other models with single and double gang heavy-gauge stainless steel faceplates and include illuminated light rings.

  • Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden Door Controls has relaunched its CV-7600 card readers in response to growing market demand for a more secure alternative to standard proximity credentials that can be easily cloned. CV-7600 readers support MIFARE DESFire EV1 & EV2 encryption technology credentials, making them virtually clone-proof and highly secure.