Sean O'Donnell
Special to The Lake Report

During this time of uncertainty and medical supply shortages due to COVID-19, a group of nearly 60 do-gooders from Niagara-on-the-Lake is working tirelessly, day and night, to sew and stitch together masks for Niagara’s frontline workers.

It all started when NOTL resident Fran Boot spoke to her daughter, an EMS worker in Toronto. Knowing that the supply chain of personal protective equipment was running short, her daughter asked her to use her sewing skills to create a simple mask that had a pocket in it for a filtration insert.

Boot did one better — she reached out to her sister Donna Feddema for help and together they founded Niagara COVID Masks on March 19.

With the help of social media and volunteer Julia Buxton-Cox, as of Wednesday the group had made and distributed about 1,000 masks free of charge to frontline workers in the Niagara region.

“This is 100 per cent to say thank you and show our appreciation for everything that (frontline workers) are doing,” said Buxton-Cox. “If you know someone in the frontline workers industry who is short on masks, please give them our website. Tell them to leave a comment, order, or order for them.” 

The masks are all made in the volunteers’ homes under strict rules of maintaining a clean atmosphere and maintaining one’s health, said Buxton-Cox. If the volunteers have even a slight cough, they must stop working and isolate themselves until they are able to continue.

There is also a strict vetting process for people receiving masks, she said. Only frontline workers such as doctors, nurses, police, firefighters, paramedics and pharmacists are eligible. The groups offers two types of masks that can be found on its website, www.niagaracovidmasks.ca.

The delivery of all masks is contactless, Buxton-Cox said, and after each mask is made it must be washed and quarantined for a minimum of 24 hours before it can go to any frontline workers. 

She said the project has really shown the kind spirit of Niagara.

“Our community has really pulled together. This is really a Niagara region-focused effort and people are really showing up and helping. (It’s) just an amazing outpouring of support.”