Window Fashion VISION July + August 2020

Page 58

inspiration : sandra vansickle

Leading in a Time of Crisis BY SOPHIA BENNETT

W

indow Fashion VISION is thrilled

supplies and even our emotions. If we ran out of elastic,

to honor Sandra VanSickle

we cut strips from T-shirts. If the pattern didn’t fit right,

with the VISION Industry

Achievement Award for her

leadership with Mask America, a

we altered it. We called ourselves the modern-day Rosies. We were unstoppable and knew that we could do this together.”

grassroots project to sew masks

for health care workers across the United States.

One of the most rewarding things about the project has been helping people return to sewing or learn

In the early days of the COVID-19

to sew for the first time. “We enlisted the

pandemic, it quickly became apparent that

help of our children, grandchildren, our senior

there was not a sufficient supply of masks,

parents, men, women and children,” VanSickle

gowns and other personal protective

said. “Many shared that they had never sewn

equipment for doctors, nurses, first

before, but they found their mom’s machine

responders and others on the front lines

in the closet and learned how to make a

of the crisis. VanSickle created a Facebook

mask. The stories of teenage brothers sitting

page called Mask America and put out

at a sewing machine determined to make a

a call to fellow workroom professionals,

difference brought me joy.”

asking them to make masks that could be donated to hospitals and other facilities.

A silver lining has been difficult to find in the midst of this crisis. But VanSickle said the

The response was immediate and

project has been just that for her and many

overwhelming. Within nine weeks of

others. “At times, I wanted to be angry. At

launching Mask America, sewers had made

others, I thought I was growing too weary

more than 130,000 fabric masks. The number continues to

to continue. But the private conversations with members

grow, as does the mission. People are now making masks

pouring their hearts out, saying making masks gave them

for members of the general public and sending them all

a purpose, touched my heart. We gave, and are still giving

over the country. And while VanSickle started with her

of our time, talents, resources and prayers. We made a

workroom colleagues, quilters, crafters and others have

difference, a historic difference.”

also joined the project. All of these people might not have had the same “It is a humbling journey, even though many would agree

opportunity to make a difference without VanSickle’s

it was like a roller-coaster ride that almost 1,700 members

commitment to Mask America. For that, we offer her our

from over 40 states across the U.S. were on,” shared

eternal thanks and gratitude.

VanSickle. “But we were on it together, and we were resourceful and resilient. We shared our patterns, ideas,

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JULY + AUGUST 2020 | wf-vision.com

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