PVQA has been asked by the Santa Cruz County Health Department and the County of Santa Cruz Office of Emergency Management to sew Isolation Gowns for them. Phase 1 consisted of making 150 gowns for the Santa Cruz County Health Department. Phase 2 consisted of making 260 gowns for the County of Santa Cruz Office of Emergency Management.
Phase 1
The Santa Cruz County Health Department asked PVQA to sew 150 gowns. Each gown uses about 4 yards of fabric… They are not form fitting garments! The County ordered and paid for the fabric which came to 600 yards of poly/cotton blend. They also found a way to cut the fabric for us using a laser cutter normally used for sign making. Helen Klee and Lori Camner agreed to organize this new request and had over 35 people sign up to sew the gowns.
They delivered 153 gowns to the County Health Department in June and officials from the County Health Department were thrilled.
The gowns were distributed to various medical-related organizations. The above picture is one of the grateful gown recipients who works at Cabrillo in the dental hygiene lab. She gave the above picture to a PVQA member and told her that she was so grateful to have this gown because of the heat.
Phase 2
Pajaro Valley Quilt Association made the local news on Monday, August 3rd after delivering 260 isolation gowns to the County of Santa Cruz Office of Emergency Management. The story was carried by both the Santa Cruz Sentinel and The Pajaronian. In addition we were on the 5:00 News on KION TV! The project was started in July when 1440 Multiversity Conference Center in Scotts Valley donated hundreds of previously used linens. (Sheets, towels, etc. to the County).
Click the link below to read the article from The Pajaronian:
David Harnish, from the County asked Helen Klee and Lori Camner if it was possible to sew gowns from this fabric. Ross Newport from Community Printers refurbished equipment in his shop and was able to cut the pattern into the five pieces necessary for each gown. Thirty-four members of our guild and ten people from the community volunteered to sew the pieces together. Helen and Lori made kits of the gown pieces , Velcro, ties, and elastic. We asked each person to sew 5 gowns and many people sewed more. Hats off to Pat Goulet who assembled over 20 gowns in this project alone. It was a true community spirited undertaking. The gowns will be distributed to many clinics and medical services agencies. We are proud of the involvement that this guild has been able to represent and accomplish. All part of our Mission Statement, and willingness to help out when asked. Bravo to all involved.
Helen Klee and Lori Camner want to thank all that have been participants in our Isolation Gown project.