During COVID-19, our community has been pulling together to support each other in incredible ways. Today, we want to thank our seniors for all their efforts to keep our neighbourhood healthy and resilient!
One of those seniors is Caede, who has already made and shared more than 100 homemade face masks with her community. Here she explains how it all happened:
Back at the beginning of March, I was asked by a friend if I was making masks. I hadn’t thought to do that, as I had just moved into a new apartment in a co-op. I was busy unpacking and I didn’t even have cable or internet installed yet!
But later in March, I received another prompt to make masks, this time on Facebook from my sister-in-law. She said she’d supply the fabric and materials, if I agreed to sew them.
At that point in time, I didn’t realize there was a call for masks, as I had not spent a lot of time online. I only have limited data. Then I spoke with my sister in Victoria, who was busy creating a pattern to make her own masks.
So I started making masks too. I began by slipping a few masks into cards and letters I was sending to friends and family on Vancouver Island, and even all the way to Dublin, Ireland.
I posted a picture on Facebook of my first attempts at fabric, reusable face masks, and it wasn’t long before I had a few requests for more.
In the co-op where I live, three of the residents have shifts of caregivers visiting their apartments. So I dropped off cards to the three residents, and offered masks for those who needed or wanted them. Surprisingly, I got a resounding yes all around.
Then another senior at Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House [who wishes to stay anonymous] asked me for a face mask template, as she wanted to sew some too. She lives in an ANAVets building, where volunteers are delivering meals to the residents. They thought it would be wise to wear masks.
I’ve now made and shared about 110 masks–and the rest is history!
We send our thanks to Caede and all the seniors who are serving our community at this difficult time! Together, we are stronger!
Guidance on wearing masks
(source: BC Centre for Disease Control)
Facemasks can be worn to help protect those around you and should be worn by people who are sick to help prevent transmission of COVID-19. However, using a mask is not enough to prevent transmission to others on its own. It should be combined with other preventative measures, such as frequent hand washing and physical distancing. For more information, check the detailed Mask guidance on the BC CDC website.