BY CHRIS QUARTARONE

For Mary Selvoski of Bedford, a part-time hobby of sewing ballet clothes for her daughter has turned into a full-time costume business outfitting dozens of theater troupes a year with a warehouse of more than 7,000 costumes.

This is only one of the many activities Selvoski has been a part of since moving to Bedford in 1960. In addition, Selvoski has helped Bedford grow into the town it is today.

As a member of the PTG, she helped initiate discussion to build McKelvie Middle School in the 1960s.

She also helped get the St. Elizabeth Seton Parish up and running.

“When we first came to Bedford, we would go to the town office for Mass,” she said.

Selvoski helped charter the first girl’s softball program in Bedford when she traveled to Williamsport, Pa., to get support from the national Little League program. She even helped build a sports field next to McKelvie School, which was eventually named after her.

Selvoski and her husband, Joe, ran Selvoski Texaco on Daniel Webster Highway for many

years.

“It was a mom-and-pop gas station and we loved it,” she said.

The couple has two children, Mary Joe and Kim, and Mary Selvoski has four other children, Jim, Dawna, Stacey and Lana, from a previous marriage.

Selvoski’s costume business, “Mary’s Closet,” is her passion these days, she said.

She has outfitted many plays, including “West Side Story,” Hamlet,” “Singing in the Rain,”and others.

“My goal is to make sure anyone who wanted to have an opportunity to cast and outfit plays had the chance at minimum cost,” she said.

While Selvoski has worn many hats throughout her life, there is one thing that will stay

constant.

“I will be in Bedford for life,” she said.