PRESS RELEASE
GFWC North Pinellas Woman’s Club Sewing Barrier Masks for Local Healthcare Workers
500+ and Still Sewing to Help Combat National Shortage of Medical Supplies
CLEARWATER, FL, April 3 – Doing its part in support of and with immense gratitude for healthcare workers dealing with the COVID-19 crisis, the GFWC North Pinellas Woman’s Club has sewn and delivered more than 500 barrier masks in two weeks time. Barrier masks are going to home healthcare agencies like Assisting Hands, Avail Home Care, Mease Manor, and Home Instead Senior Care as well as local hospitals – St. Anthony’s Hospital, St. Petersburg; Morton Plant Hospital, Clearwater; and Mease Countryside Hospital, Safety Harbor, FL.
The demand for these barrier masks is significantly increasing due to the national shortage of medical supplies. Just this week, NPWC received requests – through club members’ families who are doctors and nurses – as far away as St. Louis, Chicago, Raleigh, Toledo, Columbus, and New Mexico. Under normal circumstances members of NPWC would gather as a group to sew. As an alternative, members are now sewing in their homes. Non-sewers volunteered as runners dropping off fabric and elastic to the sewers, and shipping finished masks.
GFWC North Pinellas Woman’s Club president Heidi Blaine commented, “The Club’s motto is ‘Living the Volunteer Spirit Through Community Service’ and our members are doing just that. I’m so proud of our members’ dedication to our community during this global health crisis.”
About GFWC North Pinellas Woman’s Club
GFWC North Pinellas Woman’s Club is an all-volunteer, nonprofit 501(c)(3)
organization united in our passion to positively impact lives in Pinellas County. Members are very active in a variety of community improvement projects and strive to address all aspects of the community including foster children, the homeless, school systems, civic duties and social responsibilities, and environmental issues. Visit our website www.gfwcnpwc.org to see the impact we’ve made.
About the General Federation of Women’s Club
The General Federation of Women’s Club is a unifying force bringing together local women’s clubs, with members dedicated to strengthening their communities and enhancing the lives of others through volunteer service. With more than 80,000 members in affiliated clubs in every state and more than a dozen countries, GFWC members are community leaders who work locally to create global change by supporting the arts, preserving national resources, advancing education, promoting healthy lifestyles, encouraging civic involvement and, working toward world peace and understanding.
Media Inquiries
Mary Laurinaitis
PR Chair/2020
GFWC North Pinellas Woman’s Club
pr@gfwcnpwc.org
727-455-2593
