Photo By Maj. Kimberly Burke | U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Rachel Yandon, a radio frequency transmission systems...... read more read more
A Washington Air National Guardsmen from the Western Air Defense Sector volunteered to hand-sew 150 cloth protective masks and sent them to a hospital in Alabama.
Staff Sgt. Rachel Yandon, a radio frequency transmission systems apprentice working in the 225th Support Squadron’s Communications Focal Point, first thought of helping with the pandemic when she saw a call for help from the Providence hospital system in Washington. The hospital was asking for volunteer sewists to pick up kits and each make 100 masks for their million-mask challenge.
“A business stepped in to help make the masks for Providence,” said Yandon, “But I still wanted to help so I reached out to a friend who works at the Regional Medical Center in Anniston, Alabama and asked if they had a need for masks, and if they would be able to use home-made cloth masks.”
Initially Yandon’s friend said the hospital did not need additional masks but within the week she called back and explained that they had just experienced a theft of personal protective equipment, including face masks, and asked Yandon if she would still be willing to donate.
“I started quilting in 2011 and I was compelled to help because I already had a stash of resources and the ability to make masks. It feels good to give someone a mask who wants or needs one and I like being able to use my non-military skills to help the team,” explained Yandon.
With a sewing machine at home, Yandon set out to exceed her previous goal and worked to complete 150 masks for her friend’s hospital. Within a few weeks all the masks were complete and sent off to their new home in Alabama.
With that task complete, Yandon set her sights on helping her fellow Guardsmen. After hearing of the skill she had, some WADS members asked for masks to match their uniform and masks for their family members.
“Rachel made me a mask for free,” said Capt. Angela Chesley, 225th Air Defense Squadron air picture management flight commander. “It is a high quality mask made to match OCP print. I absolutely love it and now feel confident wearing a mask. She really impressed me with her craftsmanship. She is willing to help out any of our folks in need of a mask.”
To date, Yandon has made about 30 additional masks for WADS members and a few other members of the Washington National Guard. In addition to her volunteer work and position in the communications flight, Yandon is also an active member of the WADS Honor Guard.
The WADS is staff by active-duty Washington Air National Guardsmen, Royal Canadian Air Force, U.S. Navy liaison officers, and Federal civilians. The unit supports the NORAD integrated warning and attack assessment missions and the USNORTHCOM homeland defense mission. WADS is responsible for air sovereignty and counter-air operations over the Western United States and directs a variety of assets to defend 2.2 million square miles of land and sea west of the Mississippi River.
| Date Taken: | 05.07.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 05.19.2020 10:51 |
| Story ID: | 370295 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, WA, US |
| Web Views: | 51 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, WADS Airman sews 150 masks for hospital workers to fight COVID-19, by Capt. Colette Muller, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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