July 2020 Volunteer of the Month - Santaquin Mask Sewing

Santaquin Mask Sewing is a group that started on Facebook at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.  It was formed to bring together sewers, cutters, suppliers, and deliverers to provide local first responders and caregivers with face masks, in the south part of Utah County. The group has been able to construct over 400 masks!  The group consists of about 100 women in Santaquin but there were key players in the group that did much of the work. Kathleen Provstgaard saw a need in the area and contacted Rachel Cook who then helped form the group and coordinate the project. Rachel was instrumental in keeping the group going and she also created 3D Masks to donate. There were many others such as Natalie Hughes who spent a lot of time helping figure out the best way to make fabric masks and how to get supplies. When enough people were not sewing, she texted and called individuals. She asked them to sew 5-10 masks each and she got the ball rolling. Another wonderful helper was Andrea Lloyd. She has sewn almost 200 masks alone. Chyann Kindschy also made many masks and tons of bias tape.  She offered to help in any way and kept sewing until there was no longer a need. Bliss Blackburn was there in the beginning and helped get the group going as well. All these women and many more have truly shown what it means to be a volunteer and have blessed the lives of many people in our community.  Thank you for sharing your talents with those who have been on the front line of this pandemic.