Mama Gloria is a fighter.
First there was the diagnosis of stage-four bone cancer in 2002. Then, Gloria Mac Vicar had brain surgery for a cancerous tumor in 2010, which left her with paralysis on the left side of her body. She is now in a wheelchair, but can walk with a cane.
After being diagnosed with lung cancer in January 2012, she knew she and her husband, Norm, could no longer run the silk screen business they opened in Gilroy more than 30 years ago.
Mac Vicar’s daughter, Michele Pierson, grabbed hold of the business reins, but literally started over because some of the more expensive machines were sold to pay for Mac Vicar’s medical costs. She also found it challenging to run Cal Silk Screen Printing and find enough time to help care for her mom.
Pierson brought in her husband, Tim, to work with her about a year ago to help alleviate some of the pressure and help the business grow. He does much of the graphic artwork now.
“I (should) have gotten my husband on board sooner,” Pierson said. The pair works side-by-side, just as her parents did for more than three decades.
Mama Gloria, as she’s known, is proud of Pierson and how the business is flourishing in her care.
“(She) stepped up to the plate and took everything over—just like her mother,” Mac Vicar said.
The fight continues
Even though Mac Vicar’s chemotherapy continues, there is a bit of good news: the tumors in her lungs and kidney are shrinking. Still, it’s an uphill battle with the bone cancer, the lung cancer and the tumor that has returned in her brain.
It is difficult for Pierson to watch her mother go through so much. A Casino Night fundraiser held in 2012 raised about $7,000 for Mac Vicar’s medical expenses at the time, but her premiums and co-pays alone average more than $1,500 per month.
Pierson will hold another fundraiser—a karaoke dance party—March 14 at Old City Hall in Gilroy.
With everything Mac Vicar has dealt with, she keeps a loving spirit about her. One can hear it in her voice as she speaks of the gratitude for those who have helped her, as well as the grandchildren—who range from 7 to 19 years old—she loves so much.
“My grandbabies are keeping me alive,” Mac Vicar said. “That’s why I’m fighting so hard.”
Love of business and community
Because business has been steady, Pierson recently acquired a more modern dryer, allowing her to produce more products in less time.
Next on Pierson’s list? An automatic press. Cal Silk is currently located at 8505 Church St., but when they acquire an automatic press—sometime down the road—the business will need to move to a larger shop.
Pierson especially loves producing items with “bling,” including rhinestone designs on stadium seats, sweatshirts, hats and T-shirts. She also does her best to accommodate customers who have special needs or requests, such as when a local family wanted custom items for their son’s funeral—the next day. Pierson figured out a way to make it happen.
Pierson and Cal Silk are dedicated to the local community, but the company also boasts clients such as Ducks Unlimited, Sportsman’s Chef and Cisco Systems.
“(Cisco) had called around looking for someone to produce custom wine bottle wraps and laptop covers quickly,” Pierson said. “We were the only ones who could give them the quick turn around they wanted.”
Aside from the business aspect, the family’s unwavering support for those in need in the community shines through. Cal Silk recently supported the Gilroy Browns Cheer squad, the cheerleaders for the local Pop Warner team. They have also produced rhinestone studded T-shirts and other products for fundraisers for “Breathe for Caley Foundation,” JLK’s golf tournament fundraiser and shirts to help raise money for a Gilroy woman with breast cancer—all without making a penny in profit.
It’s easy to see the love in Pierson’s eyes for her mother and family, her business and her community—a community that has supported her and her family for so many years.
“(My friends) have stepped up 100 percent,” Pierson said. “They bring meals every night. It takes my breath away.”
With her husband alongside, Pierson continues to carry on the family tradition.
Mama Gloria is proud.
