Nyack Sketch Log: Thank You, Nyack Mask Makers

by Bill Batson

If the group photo was not on the list of casualties of COVID-19, you would be looking at a wide-angle image of 400 volunteer mask makers who kept our community safe in 2020. In my last column of this insufferable year, I thank, by name, the Nyack Mask Makers for embedding mask hygiene into the local culture. From my post as manager of the Nyack Farmers Market, I see 100% mask compliance every week, without the need for signage or enforcement. Without the selfless efforts of 400 neighbors, and an additional 200 donors, to make mask wearing a wide-spread custom, we would have experienced much more hardship as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Nyack Mask Makers began with a sleepless night that inspired fevered dreams. Donna Timm and I came together on March 20, 2020, our immediate goal to provision Personal Protective Equipment to Montefiore Nyack Hospital. We were able to meet that goal in a head spinning 3 weeks, and leaving unsolicited dozens of masks at every nursing home in Rockland County by the end of April. We then coordinated with the Village of Nyack to provide masks for all. When the Nyack Farmers Market reopened in May, we gave out about 100 masks a day for the first 2 months and collaborated with Nyack merchants to give out masks at Safe Haven Street Closing.

What was the effect of all this mask making and wearing? To paraphrase Montefiore Nyack CEO Dr. Mark Geller, COVID cases bent, but did not break our local hospital. Groups like Nyack Nourishes (which provided meals) and Hear Some Noise (music and applause) and Nyack Mask Makers and Mask Warriors (PPE), buttressed the efforts of the staff to avoid rationing health care in Nyack.  And while many factors contribute to this ultimate result, in early December 2020, there were only 80 COVID cases in Nyack. Too many for comfort, at slightly more than 1%, but much less than many other areas of the country. We did well and we are keeping the rate down, simply by wearing masks.

So to those who made masks and distributed them for free, before you could buy one from Target to Petco to Vista Print, thank you.

Out of an abundance of caution, we have put aside a small stockpile of masks and can quickly rally the troops once more, if need be. However, we sincerely hope to be out of the mask making business for good. If another outbreak occurs, it would mean that the public gave up on masks before health officials gave the all clear. When citizens work together, any emergency, no matter how catastrophic can be overcome. But if people begin to completely disregard their civic responsibilities, a crisis can unfold that is too great to mitigate.

Here’s a list of our makers and some links to columns that describe their exploits. We thank them for answering the alarm bell that Donna and I rang 9 short months ago. And we cannot wait until the day when we might be able to gather, safely, and share a few hours of communal time, feeling the camaraderie of being volunteers and veterans of the front line of the battle to defend Nyack from COVID-19 (and the historic collapse of our federal government).

*If you contributed your time and talent, sewing machine or car to this effort, and do not find your name, or if your name is spelled incorrectly, we apologize for the oversight. Please a note with your name to Donna Timm at Donna@nyackmaskmakers.com.

The Nyack Mask Makers:

1. 1. 1. Kathleen Maier
      2. Laura Appelbaum
      3. Alicen Penzes Noselli
      4. Christa Waring
      5. Alicen Noselli
      6. Tamar MacCallan-Finkelman
      7. Liz Van Wynen
      8. Robyn Donohue
      9. Danielle Cassidy
      10. Suzette Martin
      11. Mary Hoffer
      12. Sheryl LeRoy
      13. Phoebe Rossiter
      14. Shana Dunbar
      15. Robert Timm
      16. Donna Timm
      17. Bill Batson
      18. Mark Mangan
      19. Tristan Dunnigan
      20. Donna Lightfoot-Cooper
      21. Marisol Simard
      22. Lainie Murrell
      23. Rose Croke
      24. Christine Klinger
      25. Anne Marie Mot
      26. Phoebe Rossiter
      27. Debra Sadowsky
      28. Maria Whittingham
      29. Margaret (Maggie)Carney
      30. Lenora Mesibov
      31. Shari Stanford
      32. Bonnie Caul
      33. Julie White
      34. Megan Bell
      35. Cari Perez
      36. Janet Fenton
      37. Triny Hertzberg
      38. Steve Taylor
      39. Elvira Etienne
      40. Judy DePalma
      41. Roxanne Drown
      42. Alicia Hanford
      43. Diane Sesti
      44. Mary ann Gray
      45. Marta Renzi
      46. Maria Weinstein
      47. J Tedesco
      48. Megan Artin
      49. Doris Greenberg
      50. Carole Brill
      51. Jacqueline Solomon
      52. Dana Vergara
      53. Mary ann Gray
      54. Susanna Bozhkov
      55. Jill Remaly
      56. Louise Male
      57. Rebecca Finnell
      58. Sally Minniefield
      59. Mary Lovera
      60. Skye Leith
      61. Amy Delia
      62. Helen McElroy
      63. Tiffany Fillhart
      64. Abby Mor
      65. Lisa Jenner
      66. María Jesús Muñoz Pardo
      67. Jennifer Pfeiffer
      68. Carol Napier
      69. Laura Pakaln
      70. Carrolita Porter
      71. Nancy Waack
      72. Angela Bernhardt
      73. Michelle Ordynans
      74. Caroline Murphy
      75. Candice Lewis-Warner
      76. Peter Cheney
      77. Susan Beckwith
      78. Andrea Mendez
      79. Mootsy Elliot
      80. Alayne Fitzpatrick
      81. Sue Ridge
      82. Billie Berman
      83. Peri Karkheck
      84. Gayle Yodowotz
      85. Joan Bernstein
      86. Gwen Keeble
      87. Kim Osborne
      88. Lori Gale
      89. Noreen Cordaro
      90. Deirdre MacCallan
      91. Sally Savage
      92. Cora Bodkin
      93. Gretchen Reinheimer
      94. Marjorie Feldman
      95. Aycha Rae
      96. Anne Lindstrom
      97. Ebony White
      98. Annie Gerard
      99. Susan Strange
      100. Patti Barrett
      101. DebbieVermilyea
      102. Kenneth Kimmel
      103. Elizabeth Co
      104. Nicole Cardish
      105. Jackie Rivera
      106. Nancy Diaz
      107. Zachary Masters
      108. Marcy Lawrence
      109. Julie Nimal
      110. Gloria Scherma
      111. Carol Cesta
      112. Phyllis Stahl
      113. Leslie Linkie
      114. Brenda Reuchekderfer
      115. Sandra Blejer
      116. Syndi Bergstein
      117. Mary Alice Barna
      118. Ellen Miret
      119. Maria Eugenia Barrionuevo
      120. Maria Persik
      121. Meryl Dinowitz
      122. Alice Fuller
      123. Joanne McNally
      124. Laura Fries
      125. Rachael Solomon
      126. Brittnay Alter
      127. Barbara “Bobbie” Procida
      128. Sharon Kelly
      129. Marian Fass
      130. Lisa Jankun
      131. Joanne McNally
      132. Susan Collins
      133. Mary Foisy
      134. Melanie Rock
      135. SetsukoToda
      136. Beverly miller
      137. Julie Kassel
      138. Cameron Spier
      139. Kate Gorman
      140. Marie Thorpe
      141. Franziska Hesse
      142. DanielaDi Iorio
      143. David Cohen
      144. Eleanor Sterling
      145. Tiffany Kogen
      146. Debra Schwartz
      147. Gloria Bristol
      148. Marjorie Kennedy
      149. Olivia Ray
      150. Dawn Arno
      151. Julia Trahan
      152. Kathy Minnerop
      153. Margie Raab
      154. Rita Cohen
      155. Lynne Foley
      156. Margaret Handler
      157. Diana Green
      158. Helene Davis
      159. Patricia Cunningham
      160. Marjorie Galen
      161. Betsy Walker
      162. Maija Kupris
      163. Barbara Valente
      164. Kate Gorman
      165. Anna Hall
      166. Kathi Kivi
      167. Anita Szeto
      168. Donald Roeseke
      169. Lorraine Freeman
      170. Shelly Siedner
      171. Susanna Willingham
      172. Bernadette Dizzine
      173. Gely Franke
      174. Kay Stephan
      175. Cameron Spier
      176. Pat Shinners
      177. Tanya Garzia
      178. Jesse Stevenson
      179. Shep Ringer
      180. Luis Bruno
      181. Ann Sparanese
      182. Dianel Angmuir
      183. Sharon Gross
      184. Virginia Soehnel
      185. Barbara LaBrake
      186. Subha Sujith
      187. Noemi Simpson
      188. Linda Style
      189. Adele Marino
      190. Laura Sommers
      191. Abigail Chapin
      192. Jill Drocea
      193. Josie Rothman
      194. Rose Gavigan
      195. Abby Perry-Zeik
      196. Tanya Garzia
      197. Jackie Rivera
      198. Jamie Matusow
      199. Susan Smolin
      200. Valeria Picerno
      201. Rachel Grob
      202. Susanne Clark
      203. Suzanna Frosch
      204. Teresa Scott
      205. Mellen Lovrin
      206. Amy Kanarek
      207. Maria Passarotti
      208. Carol-Ann Stadt
      209. Jennifer Foley
      210. Carol Finn
      211. Lilo Kassel
      212. Victoria Locovare
      213. Kyra Saulnier
      214. Lillian Croyle
      215. Ann Endress
      216. Lise Petricone
      217. Kate Jacobs
      218. Nicole Schmidt
      219. Terri Wanamaker
      220. Linda Ros
      221. Lillian Clements
      222. Maureen Kirby
      223. Joyce Santoro-Falborn
      224. Danielle OConnell
      225. Heather Grymes
      226. Laura Pakaln
      227. Helen Potter
      228. Amelia Martin
      229. Barry Koch
      230. Trine Giaever
      231. Nancy Ramputi
      232. Wendy Kyvik
      233. Claire Jacobson
      234. isabel Degenaars
      235. Mary Ellen McDermott
      236. Lori Frohmann
      237. Patricia Casey
      238. Debra Thompson
      239. Laurie Gessner
      240. Ana Gonzalez
      241. Tina Sadler
      242. Marsha Zion
      243. Barbara Scheulen
      244. Diane Vero
      245. Beverley Colgan
      246. Kathy Sanders
      247. Jenn McCormack
      248. Norma Costa
      249. Gin MacCallum
      250. Shirley Quinn
      251. Linda Lichtenstein
      252. Colleen Quinn
      253. Elsa Deutschkron
      254. Joanne Thompson
      255. Valerie Schmidt
      256. Victoria Zazyczny
      257. Maria Collins
      258. Nata Traub
      259. Annette Benzvy
      260. Laurie Carney
      261. Miriam Cinquegrana
      262. Mae Chin
      263. Anna Brodley
      264. Jennifer Walker
      265. Laurence Hybel
      266. Mayra Bloom
      267. Patricia Ballner
      268. Anabell Couffardi
      269. Barb Jordan
      270. Maritzade la Vega
      271. Margaret Winslow
      272. Loretta Tito
      273. Giuliana Lonigro
      274. Lisa Buckley
      275. Nicole Davi
      276. Patricia Bradford
      277. Laura Murphy
      278. Viviennevon Wiederhold
      279. Alissa Ryan
      280. Ruth Yannelli
      281. Maura Raff
      282. Mia Casino
      283. Sharon Woudenberg
      284. Neena Raizada
      285. Karen Lynch
      286. Jennifer Lore
      287. Nicole Leach
      288. Bonnie Block
      289. Chris Carroll
      290. Cathy Heider
      291. Karen Johns
      292. Orliir Gang
      293. Erna Ostrom
      294. JillKolodin
      295. Darryl Owens
      296. Madeleine McCann
      297. Gloria Powell
      298. Jeanie Shrager
      299. Carolyn Watson
      300. Anna Hammond
      301. Deirdre Rafferty
      302. Nellie Donnelly
      303. Anne Glicksman
      304. Julie McDonald
      305. Melissa Lucido
      306. Liz Kallen
      307. Jill Rosendfeld
      308. Cynthia Bryant
      309. Guerline Plaisir
      310. Sally Doran
      311. Eunice Turnbull
      312. Patricia Carney
      313. Sandy Volpe
      314. Sondra Nadohl
      315. Lisa Lockwood
      316. Tina Tankersley
      317. Yvonne Rode
      318. Jackie Rivera
      319. Rachel Beers
      320. Christine Marlow
      321. Jackie Rivera
      322. Suzanne Allen
      323. Daphna Epstein
      324. Heather Kono
      325. Nikki Siegel
      326. Heather Cornell
      327. Liel Eliad
      328. Meg Mayo
      329. Liel Eliad
      330. Lazuli Leith
      331. Donna Brophy
      332. Maureen Danzig
      333. Lily Chapin
      334. Chana Berkman
      335. Wendy Courtney
      336. Connie Kozelek
      337. Mary Lynn Hetsko
      338. Emelia Ruyle
      339. Laura Neil
      340. Christine Halecky
      341. AnnMayo-Kiely
      342. Julie Tomich
      343. Jessica Sanchez
      344. Tracy Herb
      345. Kate Cahill
      346. Mary Mark
      347. Barbara Erdsneker
      348. Rochelle Kepes
      349. Christine Wetzel
      350. Rekha Balapal
      351. Mirna Rodriguez
      352. Mara Cohen
      353. Ann Trudell
      354. Jennifer Gebbia
      355. Sophia Lee
      356. Beth Kinsley
      357. Rachel Lee
      358. Diane Churchill
      359. Samra Ullah
      360. Joanne Niebanck
      361. Samra Ullah
      362. Fiona Santos
      363. Deirdre Mclary
      364. Joyce Giraud
      365. Rahat Chaudhry
      366. Lori Weisberg
      367. MicheleHamilton
      368. Lisa Demarest
      369. Rosemarie Gatzek
      370. Karen Allen
      371. Rose Fox
      372. Amy Bezunartea
      373. Debbie Ceresnak
      374. David Schloss
      375. Analyse Veras
      376. Denise Oswald
      377. Ann Nordon
      378. Meredith Wisner
      379. D Sampat
      380. Frances Leiter
      381. Zoe Levine
      382. Anne Jones
      383. Kara Burns
      384. Ronnie Pascal
      385. Frany Khani
      386. Barbara Pfingst
      387. Maggie Colquitt
      388. Salmaan Syed
      389. Tyler Kehoe
      390. Shannon Kenefick
      391. Nellie Donnelly
      392. Barbara Erdsneker
      393. Kara Onativia
      394. Valerie Bernan
      395. Shayne Foster
      396. Annemarie Bettica
      397. Franki Gallo
      398. Laura Alcazar
      399. Kiesha Parker
      400. Nadine Schneider
      401. Jeff Rubin

*If you contributed your time and talent, sewing machine or car to this effort, and do not find your name, or if your name is spelled incorrectly, we apologize for the oversight. Please a note with your name to Donna Timm at Donna@nyackmaskmakers.com.

1. 1. Nyack Sketch Log: March 24, 2020: Nyack Mask Makers Nyack Sketch Log:March 17, 2020: Special COVID-19 Edition: Wash Them, Do Not Shake Them Nyack Sketch Log:April 7, 2020, Nyack Sketch Log: #Masks4All

1. Bill Batson is an activist, artist and writer who lives in Nyack, NY. “Nyack Sketch Log: Thank you Nyack Mask Makers” © 2020 Bill Batson.