BUCKLAND — A group of women has collectively sewn and distributed more than 1,000 masks since the COVID-19 pandemic began, all of which have been given away for free.
The group of women, who call themselves the Busy Bees of Buckland, is made up of about 40 people — most of whom live in Buckland Center — who are part of the mask-making process. Some donate material. Some cut elastic or fabric. Others, still, sew or distribute.
“There’s a bunch of tasks that go along with it,” said Laurie Benoit, a member of the group.
Benoit said the mask makers are part of an informal group of women who meet each month for a group dinner.
“We meet once a month, just to get together as a group of women, to share food and connect on a friendship basis,” she said. “Since COVID started, we’ve not been able to do that.”
Benoit said when her daughter, who works as a nurse in the Emergency Department of Baystate Franklin Medical Center, told her there was a significant need for more masks, she pitched the idea of making them to the women in her group.
“As word spread that we were making and distributing masks, a bunch of other women joined,” Benoit said.
Their efforts began in mid-March, according to Benoit. The group makes masks for both children and adults.
As requests for masks came in, so did questions of how people could pay or donate in exchange for masks, she said.
“The masks are free, but people have a strong sense of community and want to give back,” Benoit said. “We’re donating any monies that come to us to two worthy nonprofits.”
The Busy Bees of Buckland have collected more than $500 that will be given to the West County Emergency Food Pantry and the Buckland Cemetery Association.
“It’s been a great community effort and it has given people a sense of being able to help, which we all desperately want to do … to protect one another’s health,” Benoit said.
Anyone who is need of masks is asked to contact Benoit at lmbenoit@outlook.com or Sarah Dougherty at sarahgdougherty@hotmail.com.
Mary Byrne can be reached at mbyrne@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 263. Twitter: @MaryEByrne