Face Mask Donations

Posted on March 27, 2020 Updated on June 22, 2020

The news has been a bit confusing regarding the efficacy of the home made masks. I can tell you the response I got from employees at Lawrence General Hospital was overwhelming. They were thrilled to get the masks.

If you were on the fence as to whether or not to make them, please do. If you do not want to go out of your house, I can come pick them up. Otherwise there is a plastic bin on my back deck to drop them off.

Cathy H

Face Mask Coordinators

Posted on March 25, 2020 Updated on June 22, 2020

We have coordinators who need masks.  This is an immediate need.  All masks are welcome. 

• Cathy Harnisch and Janice Jones is coordinating for Lawrence General Hospital.  You may drop them off with Cathy Harnisch. She will have a bin on her back deck.
• A friend of MVQ, Abigail Jurist Levy, is coordinating for Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley.  She has a bin on her front porch at 115 Friend Street, Amesbury where you can place masks.  Or, you may drop them off at my home in Haverhill.
• Cathy Carroll is coordinating for another local hospital.  You may drop masks off at my home in Haverhill.

I will have a bin in the back of my husband’s open truck (tailgate down) all day for the next few days.  The address is 344 Liberty Street, Haverhill, MA.  No need to make an appointment.  You may come any time from 10 am to 5 pm to drop off masks.  I will waive to you from my studio window.

Any and all masks are needed.  They can have ties in place of elastic bands due to the shortage.  If you need instructions you can access the one prepared by the Deaconess Hospital at this link:  https://spark.adobe.com/page/gykOHI7OECrEp/ . 

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Liz Swan

Face Mask Update

Posted on March 24, 2020 Updated on June 22, 2020

Recently we posted information regarding face masks.  I asked members to let me know if they were willing to chair a committee.  One of our members was contacted by a friend who needs masks for a local hospital and asked if I would be willing to collect the masks for her to pick up.  I agreed. 

Therefore, if you have masks that you would like to donate you can bring them to my house in Haverhill.  It will be by appointment only so contact me by email (elizabethswan@comcast.net) if you wish to donate.  Cotton or cotton/flannel masks are accepted.  The style of mask is not important.

Also, there was a request to post directions for making masks, so I am including a link to the Deaconess Hospital “how to” video with materials and instructions put out by a group making masks for doctors on the North Shore.  https://spark.adobe.com/page/gykOHI7OECrEp/ . 

Your masks do not have to be made with these instructions.  All masks are being accepted at this time.

Thank you in advance for your support of this important effort.  Be well.

Elizabeth Swan, President

Note: Cathy Harnisch in contact with a nurse from Lawrence General. She will also accept masks to bring there. Contact her via email.

Call for Reusable Face Masks

Posted on March 21, 2020 Updated on June 22, 2020

I hope this post finds you all well as you practice social distancing.  You might have noticed on social media that there is a movement of sorts where people are calling on to those who sew to make and donate cotton face masks.  As quilters, we normally volunteer to help in any way we can. Merrimack Valley Quilters Guild is no exception.  We have been contacted by members and non-members to see if we are planning on organizing a mask making event.  After doing some research, I will propose the following:

If you are personally aware of any organization in need of home-made face masks and are willing to coordinate a group to fill their need, please let me know.  I ask that you have direct contact with the organization and have talked with them about their specific needs.  Once the need is established MVQ will help you ask for volunteers, distribute assembly instructions and help gather the mask so that you may present them to your proposed organization.  Assembly instructions are necessary.

Organizations can be nursing homes, assisted care facilities, daycare centers, soup kitchens or any other food distribution center, church organizations, senior citizen centers, any medical facility such as hospitals or drop-in clinics.  Any place where you contacted that needs home-made facemasks, and would accept them from MVQ, would qualify.

Please contact me if you have any questions, comments or suggestions.

Liz Swan, President