When I started this project, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I thought I’d do some interviews during the summer and follow-up with second interviews after the pandemic was over. I mistakenly assumed everything would be over by the end of 2020. Boy was I wrong!

As I work though my interview archives, I’ve noticed that a lot has changed in the intervening years and follow-up interviews simply aren’t possible for some folks. Carol Kampehnout falls into that category.

I completed my interview with Carol at her home in Moscow, Idaho in August 2020. At the time of my interview, she was elbow deep in a mask making campaign. Fabric and sewing supplies were piled in the living room and her sewing room as absolutely stuffed to the brim. Mask making had even escaped onto the porch, as the area was used for contactless pick-up and drop-off. Mask kits, fabric, elastic, ear savers and a host of other pandemic related items had filled her life.

In the fall of 2020, Carol moved to Utah in order to be closer to family. Because this is a Latah County oral history project, that means she isn’t eligible for a second interview. Since there won’t be any follow-up, I’ve decided to release her interview now. I wish Carol all the best. With her go-getter attitude, I’m certain she will be an incredible asset to her new community.

I am still seeking willing oral history participants. If you are a teacher or work in the medical field and are willing to be interviewed, please contact me at khaliela@gmail.com

To listen to another oral history interview, visit Covid-19: Voice of the Dead.
Interview with Don Fiscus*
Potlatch Library Conference Room
August 2020

*Don Fiscus died of covid-19 on Tuesday, September 28, 2021 at Deaconess Hospital in Spokane, WA.