Staying active during quarantine
Several local residents are making the most of sheltering in place by making protective masks that will be used to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The cloth face masks are currently being sewn by a team of members from the outdoor fitness group Stay Active Ellijay.
“We have about 20 people in our group (who are making masks). They are making them for patients and families who come in with patients at Piedmont Mountainside. There’s a company that will be cleaning them professionally for Piedmont,” said group founder and Gilmer Post 2 Commissioner Karleen Ferguson.
Masks are also being made for bus drivers and team members who are distributing food for the school system nutrition program that’s providing meals for students during the extended school closure.
The first mask deliveries were made last week to the Piedmont Mountainside ER and the Gilmer Community Food Pantry, where local police and fire/rescue first responders are teaming up with volunteers to distribute food during spring break.
We gave out superhero masks to our superheroes, said Ferguson about some of the handmade masks that show popular comic book and movie characters.
“We also have a big delivery of masks going to the school system this week for the bus drivers delivering food to kids the rest of the year,” she added.
A grassroots movement that’s taken off amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the making of protective face masks by individuals is allowing those who enjoy sewing to help others in their local communities.
“It really got started through social media blasts. People are at home. They’re bored and they want to help. (Our members) use home sewing machines and there is a pattern (available). I sew a little bit and I borrowed a machine. I’m excited to be able to help,” Ferguson said.
“Now we’re seeing on the news that people are being encouraged to wear something covering your face if you’re out in public, so there will probably be even more of a need for handmade masks.”
Since Stay Active Ellijay has suspended its outdoor activity schedule for the time-being, the mask-sewing project is also giving some group members a way to stay both mentally and physically active.
“We’re primarily an outdoor social club of mostly retirees who live here and want to stay active. Most of them are volunteers with other organizations and are already involved in the community in some way. We immediately closed (hikes) because so many us are in that high-risk category and we will immediately open back up again when it’s safe for everyone to do so,” Ferguson said.