coronavirus long island

Coronavirus News: Long Island quilters come together to sew many masks as possible to donate

Thursday, April 9, 2020

When Long Island quilters saw there was a shortage of masks, they decided to get crafty and sew as many masks as they could to donate.

WESTBURY, New York (WABC) -- Quilters all across Long Island have come together to use their skill set for a good cause by sewing cloth face masks for hospitals in need.

It all started when Mary Ellen Orchard was scrolling on Facebook and saw a post from a woman in Michigan seeking face masks for her state in need.

Orchard was inspired by this woman's call to action and decided to use the Michigan women's sewing pattern to create masks for hospitals in need on Long Island.

"I put a message on my Facebook page, saying I'm about to make some masks, this is the pattern, this is the video if anyone wants to join me fine...join me," said Orchard. "A few people jumped on it immediately. I could have cried this morning when a woman said that she made 162."

Each mask task approximately 23 minutes to make. All you need is a piece of fabric and a piece of flannel to create the foundation of the mask.

"The love, the compassion, the empathy, the need to do the need to say I was there I did it I helped," said Orchard. "I don't care what you do, do something."

Orchard plans to collect the masks every Thursday until there is no longer a need at Eisenhower Park. Orchard's set up ensure's her safety and anyone who would like to donate by dropping off masks into a box where people who want to help can do so in the safest way possible.

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