In response to the critical shortage of medical masks, many Vietnamese volunteer groups are donating their efforts and personal finances to make masks to donate to hospitals in the region.
Phan Vu Ngoc (VietStaz band) and Nguyen Thi Kim Loan’s wife have sewn over 1,300 sewing cotton masks and 200 surgical masks. Significantly, Phan Vu Ngoc or Kim Loan personally taken turns to take these masks to the elderly care institutes, to the hospitals, and received them in person to give.
“The number of masks we can make compared to the need is like a handful of salt in the sea,” Ngoc revealed. “We’re barely making a difference. I wish we could do more.”
Ms. Nguyen Thi Kim Loan, Ngoc’s wife, confided that after two weeks of work, “my family has a good heart but limited financial strength. I have to continue because my compatriot donated fabric, and her friend Charlie’s family also contributed sewing supplies.”
Masks are delivered to local hospitals: Providence, Swedish, Virginia Mason, Valley Medical, Overlake, and a few caregivers delivering requests.
Sincere thanks to the help of Hue Thuong sewing team, who donated money to buy cloth with Vic Do, Lisa Vo, Hoang Hiep Nguyen. Nhan and Ms. Dieu’s garment factory donated rare goods, elastic. The support from their friends and family lift up their spirits as they sewed.
Vu concluded: “Hopefully, a little bit of our team’s strength will help and warm the hearts of those who work on the front line during the coronavirus season.”
Week by week, we will have a different article about different Vietnamese, like a 9 year old and a 92 year old, a nail technician, a choir member. They are also coming together to sew masks. Readers have been dropping off fabric, elastic, and money to the newspaper office. Since they are at home, they feel that the least they can do is to sew masks.
If anyone wants to sew masks, please call Phan Vu Ngoc 206-229-1797.
