In March of 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic occurred leaving our hospital in need of facial masks for employees. The Director of Community Outreach for Owensboro Health Regional Hospital contacted the Extension Agents at the Daviess County Extension Office for help. The Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agent reached out to a few of the Daviess County Homemakers who also made contact with an Owensboro Quilt Guild Member. Once the hospital had an approved pattern for the masks a hospital employee brought the material to the Daviess County Extension Office where it was then washed, ironed, cut, and packed into kits. The kits were available in a tote outside of the extension office for pick-up of kits and drop off completed masks. A volunteer that owns a laser cutter did all the cutting of the material, which sped up the process. Once it was cut, another volunteer organized the drop off and pick up of material between the cutter and the Extension office.

Daviess County 4-H agents made a YouTube video for volunteers on how make the ties for the masks due to the lack of elastic that could be found. The need for mask kits and volunteers was attained through Extension Homemakers, quilters, and then the general public on Facebook posts. Countless people stopped by the office to pick up kits and donated their time and talent to helping the hospital fulfill their need for masks for not only employees but also visitors, as the pandemic continued everyone who walks into the hospital has to have a mask on their face.

Over 5,000 masks have been donated to the Owensboro Health Regional Hospital. The hospital has reached out again asking for an additional 2,500 masks.