CHARLESTOWN, Ind. (WDRB) — A family in southern Indiana has answered the call to help health care workers protect themselves during the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Charlean Hawkins and her daughter in law, Ashley Brown, are practically human sewing machines. The women have made more than 350 cloth face masks and shipped them free of charge to hospitals, fire departments and day cares still open for parents considered essential emergency staff in about 10 states.
"We just want to be able to help the people that helped us," Brown said.
Making face masks started out of necessity. Brown’s son, Arthur, has a rare genetic disorder and has been in and out of hospitals his entire life. In fact, his family was due for a trip to Walt Disney World through the Make-A-Wish Foundation, but it was cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns.
"We were devastated that we had to wait," Brown said. "But, at the same time, you know, we just kind of felt like something needs to be done to protect him."
The family began making masks to protect Arthur and other kids with special needs from the new virus, and the need for more masks has grown greater by the day.
"If I sit at this all day long, I can do about 30 or 45," Hawkins said from behind her sewing machine. "But I got to get up and move; sometimes I get a cramp."
Hawkins is more the sewing person, Brown joked, while she handles the logistics of shipping and acquiring materials to make more masks.
"She got the pattern from the (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) website," Brown said. "We do know that they're not N95 compliant, but they can be washed and sterilized.
"It's mostly for when somebody's talking to you like spit," she added. "It doesn't necessarily mean that the virus is not going to stop, but someone's like direct contact talking to you — it can protect you and them."
The family's effort comes as leaders from both Kentucky and Indiana plead for personal protection equipment donations. The states are competing with others throughout the country — and the federal government — for the same equipment. Indiana officials said the state has exhausted its share from the national stockpile.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear asked for help, too, for hospitals, police, fire and EMS all on the front line.
"What we need right now, KY — and I know there’s a lot out there — is gloves," Beshear said. "I believe there are at least a million gloves out there in Kentucky that people can live without."
As of Friday, there have been more than 4,000 confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 and nearly 150 deaths combined between Kentucky and Indiana, and officials said the worst is yet to come.
Hawkins and Brown's efforts show how a little bit can go a long way to help those trying to save lives
"You don't realize how bad it is until you're in the crisis," Brown said, "and I think we're all in a crisis right now."
For more information how to donation personal protection equipment in Kentucky, contact 1-833-GIVE-PPE (1-833-448-3773) to coordinate with the Kentucky National Guard.
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