physics graduate student coordinates hundreds of local
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9/16/20, 1:17 PMPhysics graduate student coordinates hundreds of local mask makers | Penn State University
Page 1 of 4https://news.psu.edu/story/620027/2020/05/14/impact/physics-graduate-student-coordinates-hundreds-local-mask-makers
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Physics graduate student coordinates hundredsof local mask makers
Volunteers donate reusable cloth masks to State College community to help slow the spread of COVID-19
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Physics graduate student Rachael Huxford coordinates hundreds of local mask makers, including
more than 50 members of the Penn State community, to provide cloth masks to small businesses and
families in Centre County during the COVID-19 pandemic. IMAGE: JAMES RUTH
Gail McCormickMay 14, 2020
9/16/20, 1:17 PMPhysics graduate student coordinates hundreds of local mask makers | Penn State University
Page 2 of 4https://news.psu.edu/story/620027/2020/05/14/impact/physics-graduate-student-coordinates-hundreds-local-mask-makers
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — More than 2,500 masks have been donated tofamilies and small businesses in Centre County, thanks to the efforts of PennState physics graduate student Rachael Huxford.
Since March, Huxford has coordinated hundreds of local sewers through agroup known as the State College Mask Makers to help meet demand duringthe COVID-19 outbreak. Among the group are more than 50 members of thePenn State community, including staff, faculty, students, alumni and parents,representing more than 12 academic colleges at University Park, as well asPenn State Altoona and World Campus.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends wearingmasks in public settings, like the grocery store and pharmacies, to help slowthe spread of the coronavirus. In Pennsylvania, Gov. Tom Wolf has called forindividuals to wear masks whenever they leave the house.
“When the COVID-19 outbreak Xrst spread into the United States, many of uswere trying to identify the most up-to-date information about masks,” saidHuxford. “It seemed like new patterns and recommendations for use and carewere coming out every few hours; it was hard to keep up. I originally createdthe Mask Makers group to help local sewers share the newest information,but within a week, we started to have requests from the community formasks.”
The Xrst requests came from group members with friends and family workingat essential businesses or with relatives in local assisted living and nursinghomes. When Gov. Wolf formalized the call for employees to wear masks attheir places of businesses, the requests came pouring in. To date, the grouphas donated masks to more than 100 families and 40 small businesses, aswell as several nursing homes and a local psychiatric center.
“We have provided masks to restaurants, veterinary clinics, mail carriers,grocery store employees, dog kennels, taxi services, as well as somehealthcare workers and Xrst responders, and of course many individuals andfamilies who need them,” said Huxford. “We have received a lot of reallysweet feedback from the small businesses and families who are just gratefulto have something. I have a bunch of thank you letters hanging on my fridgeright now, which I’ve shared with our group.”
9/16/20, 1:17 PMPhysics graduate student coordinates hundreds of local mask makers | Penn State University
Page 3 of 4https://news.psu.edu/story/620027/2020/05/14/impact/physics-graduate-student-coordinates-hundreds-local-mask-makers
The group, composed of sewers of all skill levels, provides a variety ofdifferent styles of masks that can be requested based on an individual’sneeds. Masks are provided free of charge, with members pulling materialsfrom their existing fabric stashes and some donations from the community.
“We have a few members that each make around Xfty masks a week, butmost of our members contribute 10 or 15 each week, which really adds up,”said Huxford. “It’s an amazing pooling of community resources, time, andinformation.”
One State College Mask Makers member from Penn State Extension, TaraMondock, serves on the board of the Centre County Farm Bureau (CCFB) andis working to connect local farms with needed masks.
“This is an incredibly generous group of passionate folks who have workedamazingly well together to make a huge impact way beyond Centre County,”said Mondock.
The State College Mask Makers group also coordinates with other localmask-making groups to better serve the community. In April, the groupmerged with the Happy Valley Moms Making Masks — formed by Director ofEnterprise Solutions for Penn State IT Shuchi Nalepa — so both groups couldbetter share materials and information and fulXll requests.
“Rachael is incredibly well organized, selbess, and has done a superb job inmeeting the needs of a growing number of organizations and businesses,”said Nalepa. “I feel blessed to live and work in a community where people justwant to do good by each other and make a positive impact.”
The State College Mask Makers group’s focus on small businesses andindividuals also compliments efforts of sewers with the Makery, an arts andcrafts studio in downtown State College, which initially prioritized requestsfrom healthcare workers. Now the groups help each other Xll their biggestrequests, and are coordinating “mask trees,” where masks are placed in publicspaces for community members to take as needed.
The State College MaskMakers group, led by PennState physics graduate studentRachael Huxford, has donatedmore than 2,500 cloth masksto the State Collegecommunity. IMAGE: RACHAELHUXFORD
9/16/20, 1:17 PMPhysics graduate student coordinates hundreds of local mask makers | Penn State University
Page 4 of 4https://news.psu.edu/story/620027/2020/05/14/impact/physics-graduate-student-coordinates-hundreds-local-mask-makers
“It’s been really amazing to see so many different people come together toserve the community in this time of need,” said Huxford. “I’m impressed bythe dedication and selbessness of our sewers and am proud to be a part ofthis group and community.”
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Last Updated June 08, 2020