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Volunteer throws energy, expertise into masks
Local shops reopen slowly
Christine HINZMANN Citizen staff
Stay informed, stay safe, stay home, but keep helping.
That’s one longtime Prince George community member’s new motto. When Judy Wiebe and her husband returned from a two-month volunteer mission in Belize in February, the world was starting to change. Just a couple of weeks later, social distancing and self-isolation against the coronavirus pandemic was a reality. Listening to all the reports of personal protective equipment shortages on the frontlines in hospitals, Wiebe, who often sews, immediately reached out to Northern Health, healthcare workers and anyone else who was looking for ways to protect themselves from this new threat. Early on Wiebe was told Northern Health wasn’t able to accept donations of homemade masks but when she found a community of midwives who could use some, that’s when she started making the first of almost 100 masks. Wiebe had the fabric stored away for about a decade after she thought a venture into creating funky aprons could be successful. Once she realized the cost of the extra-thick cotton and the labour involved didn’t match anyone’s idea of what they would want to spend on a handmade apron, she tucked the fabric away for future use. She never dreamed that material would be useful to protect against a deadly virus that has circled the globe. Wiebe started creating the pleated and the fitted masks once she did the research. As she read more information, she realized it wasn’t so much about the size and shape of the mask. “The bigger question was the fabric content - with a lining, without a lining, with elastic around the ears, elastic around the head - there were just so many different options,” Wiebe said. “So what I ended up doing was I made up one or two of each to see what fit the most people so that’s how I decided on the
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Arthur WILIAMS Citizen staff
Many local businesses are gradually and carefully reopening under Phase 2 of B.C.’s Restart Plan.
Handout photo
Prince George resident Judy Wiebe is seen here wearing one of her favourite masks. She’s made about 100 masks for the community so far with more on the way.
pattern that I like the best.” Wiebe has started ordering more materials online, including melt blown, which offers an extra non-woven protective layer inside the mask. As time has passed there’s one thing that’s become clear. “Something is better than nothing,” Wiebe said. The talented seamstress only recently started to charge a $5 fee for some of the masks she’s made because she would like to cover her costs of the material. Most of her masks have been donations. She just got a special request to make masks for a wedding party and she’s happy to make them, as long as there aren’t too many orders at once. Wiebe and her family have always been community minded and giving back has become part of her retirement lifestyle with one major motivator in mind. In 2009, Wiebe, her husband Ben and son Arron were in a horrific car crash near
Mount Robson that saw an oncoming car spin out of control into their lane. The impact instantly killed the two people in the oncoming car and severely injured the three Wiebe family members in their vehicle. Judy’s injuries were the most serious and changed her way of life permanently. Wiebe is best known in Prince George for her stunning singing voice that shone in musical theatre roles in Nunsense and Gypsy. After the accident, Wiebe spent five months in hospital recovering from injuries including a broken neck, major concussion, punctured lungs and broken ribs. She learned to accept her new life that no longer included singing or performing on stage. Despite all the challenges one thing is clear. “We felt so incredibly supported when we went through our crisis and now it’s a personal goal to give back - it’s the whole pay if forward thing,” Wiebe said. “I’m just trying to be supportive while self isolating. I just want to help where I can.”
WorkSafeBC released its industryspecific guidelines for restaurants, cafes, pubs, salons, personal services, retail businesses, office-based businesses and other public and private services. “We are opening today, it is the first day being back to work” TL Nails owner Long Trinh said. “For the last two months people have been calling, asking when we will be open.” Trinh said the new requirements for the personal services sector haven’t had a large impact on their operations. “We already have a lot of systems in place, when we opened the salon,” he said. “Now I just put a few things up.” Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry ordered personal services like salons, spas and tattoo parlours closed in March, to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The long closure meant, “a lot of bills to pay with no revenue,” Trinh said. Not every business allowed to reopen last week rushed to do so. Cimo Mediterranean Grill manager Teresa Oliveira said the prominent downtown restaurant was holding off reopening its dining room until this week, on a reservation-only basis. “We have to have a safety plan. All the staff have to be retrained,” Oliveira said. As part of the new public health measures for restaurants, only half the normal number of tables will be available. Those looking to get their spaghetti carbonara fix should plan ahead. “We have a waiting list already, of people waiting for the date.” Nearly 30 retailers and restaurants reopened at Pine Centre Mall, with more scheduled to reopen this week and on June 1. According to the mall’s website, seating in the foodcourt area is limited and restricted to those purchasing food at the foodcourt. Other services like the play area, guest services, stroller and wheelchair rental, vending machines, kids rides and massage chairs remain closed.