Students in today’s COVID-19 world may find all that is familiar upside-down. School, sports and activities either have changed or canceled altogether. With more time on their hands, some students find creative things to do, some use downtime to decompress and others, like Apollo High School freshman Breanna Stueve and senior Peter Doroff, are stepping up to help healthcare professionals by making protective masks.
“I love helping people,” says Stueve. “And just knowing all these nurses are putting their entire life out there with this really bad disease, all of them deserve to be cared about. One specific nurse means a lot to me. Her and her family mean so much to me. I’m just trying to help.”
Stueve understands many in the community have close ties to healthcare professionals who are working tirelessly during this uncertain time. She wants to ensure someone is looking out for them and their families as well. So, she began to sew masks.
It was a slow start. Stueve’s nurse friend brought her the first round of supplies to start making the masks, but Stueve didn’t know how.
“It took me two hours to learn off of a YouTube video,” laughs Stueve. “I was so excited when I got it!”
The masks are made of 100% cotton, washable and reusable. They can go over the N95 masks to make them last longer, and nurses can wear Stueve’s masks to see patients who are in need of routine care.
“My mom posted it on Facebook and got a bunch of likes and all of sudden people just started donating like elastic for the ears and stuff like that,” says Stueve. “I have a lot of stuff now that I can help people with.”
Stueve has made 50 masks and is still sewing. Fifteen were donated to the nurses at the local Veterans Affairs Hospital; several have gone to local nursing homes; some to EMTs as well as family friends. Even when she’s been offered payment, Stueve refuses.
“I will always give them out for free,” says Stueve. “Everybody deserves the help. I’m just going to keep going until I’m worn out and will go even farther. My goal is to help as many people as I can.”
Similarly, Peter Doroff wants to help the healthcare community. He’s been sewing for many years and is on his sixth quilt. He’s put that hobby aside right now to turn his attention to making masks instead.
“I have a lot of time on my hands,” says Doroff, “and I just want to give back to the community. … I have access to the materials. I’ve accumulated the fabric for quite a while now … from previous projects.”
Doroff has a two-step process to make the masks quickly. He cuts all the fabric and elastic first then pins them all. He’s already completed 25 masks that he has dropped at Gruber’s Quilt Shop and is on to his next 50 that are pinned and ready to sew.
He’s just happy he can give back with something he loves to do.
These Apollo students are finding a way to stitch connectedness to their community during a time of social distancing.
JoAnn Fabrics and Crafts has the kits to make masks for anyone who’d like to help in the effort. Gruber’s Quilt Shop has a drop-off location at their store for anyone looking to donate masks.
If you’d like to donate masks elsewhere, Jen Stueve, Breanna’s mom, has received requests from Good Shepherd and Anna Marie’s Alliance. Or if you’d like to donate supplies directly to Breanna, contact Jen Stueve via text to 320-290-1624.
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