Project Protect and Coronavirus Masks

At the outbreak of the covid-19 pandemic, it was discovered that there were no masks and almost no supplies to make them.

The day after General Conference (April 4-5, 2020) Susan received a text asking if she would help make masks for people and organizations in need.  Since her initials are SEW, how could she say no.  This was her contribution to the request from the Church of Jesus Christ's Relief Society to make 6 million masks.  The original request was for 5 million masks and as the goal was received, the request came for another million, making a total of 6 million in all.  Sisters throughout the Salt Lake Valley went online to sign up for kits.  The kits contained materials to make 100 masks.  The kits were picked up on Tuesday and the finished masks were returned on Saturday. A million masks were made each week. The pickup and drop off locations were the local Deseret Industries donation locations, which were closed due to the pandemic.  Each week people picked up and then dropped off their kits making 5 million masks.  The first pickup was April 21, 2020 and the last drop off was June 20, 2020.  Women and their families worked together to make the masks each week.  Several sisters in our ward helped Susan make her 100 masks each week, they each made 20 and the masks were done in no time.  It was truly a pleasure to be involved in this wonderful project.

Of course the request for Grandma to make everyone a mask came in and things were pretty calm at the sewing machine the month of July.  However, with the start of school, each of our 10 grandchildren that would be attending school were told that they would need several masks for their return to school.  Of course GrandmaSew has been sewing in the late hours of the night in an effort to spoil her grandchildren.  They each got to choose their fabrics from Grandma's stash of fabric, color of elastic, and style of mask.

It has been a uplifting and rewarding time to be involved in the care of others.  Below is a link to a short video by President Russell M. Nelson.

https://youtu.be/-nr_NHx1MMs

This truly has been an interesting time.  Our current mission is nothing like our previous missions.  It has been a privilege to be involved in this wonderful work.



“The road ahead will always be bumpy, but the destination will be serene and secure. So, fasten your seatbelt; hang on through the bumps; and, do what’s right; and your rewards will be eternal.” President Russell M Nelson, 2020