From: Owen J.W. Parkhouse, Vice-President & Chair of Public Relations Committee

 

Comrades, Canada’s top doctor recently stated that wearing non-medical masks can help limit the transmission of COVID-19. Fortunately, masks are relatively easy to make and there are even simple options for non-sewers. I have been asked to find out if there is interest across our Legion volunteer base to help make masks. I’d like your help to:

·        Canvass your Provincial Command Executive, Branches and Ladies’ Auxiliaries (this is, of course, not limited to the LAs) to see if any would be interested in making these non-medical masks in the fight against the Pandemic.

·        Get back to me this week with your thoughts and let me know if there is interest.

 

How would this project work?

·        We would provide guidance in terms of a template. For example, the CBC has an on-line article on “How to make yourself a face mask” with various patterns which can be found at: https://www.cbc.ca/life/wellness/how-to-make-yourself-a-face-mask-1.5526889

·        Masks would not be medical grade but could be donated to help with any community need – long term care facilities, local businesses, or others.

·        Note that we would not provide funds to purchase mask materials, and Poppy Funds could not be used for this purpose.

 

Masks will certainly become ‘de rigueur’ when the Provinces start opening up and therefore this is something additional that Legionnaires might like to do for their communities. This could also become a great story and could even be likened to the Legion making socks for Canadian troops during the Second World War! Who knows, before long we may be planting Victory Gardens at our Legions too!

 

As additional information, our Supply Department is currently sourcing Legion branded masks as a Supply item to be offered through our Poppy Store.

 

If anyone has any questions, comments or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me or Nujma Bond at nbond@legion.ca . Thanks for being a Legionnaire and I hope to see everyone in the very near future. Stay safe and be kind! 

 

In Comradeship,

 

Owen