With technology, a little ingenuity, and some needles and thread – this group of women are saving ears all over the state.
Volunteering and helping others comes naturally to Deb Spell, a revenue integrity investigator in Springfield for PSE&G and her wife, Wendy Kennedy, chief linewoman in Southern district for PSE&G. Both are members of the women’s motorcycle club, the Sirens MC of New York City who sadly lost a friend and fellow Sirens member to COVID-19. Recently, Spell was contacted by a local nurse in Bergen County who asked if she could sew buttons onto headbands to prevent irritation and bleeding from constantly putting on and removing the protective gear.
Without thinking twice, Spell and Kennedy organized their motorcycle group which began making masks and headbands with buttons in honor of the friend they had lost to COVID-19.
“We made and have delivered over 200 masks and 250 headbands to multiple hospitals,” Spell said. “We received a ton of pictures and thank you texts from all of the front line workers around the state. Knowing that our work at home will help the front line health care workers fight this battle makes it all worth it.”
In a separate act of compassion, Lisa Garcia, a process analyst in Customer Operations Technology Projects, turned to technology when she got a call from a friend who works as a nurse. “While this isn’t nearly as important as what our health care workers and first responders are doing, I have been 3D printing some ‘ear savers’ for my friends that are nurses since their ears were killing them from wearing multiple masks all day,’’ Garcia said. “It’s the least I can do to help those who are helping others.”
Garcia got to work and made over 200 “ear savers” which she donated to Jersey Shore Medical Center, Riverview Medical Center and CentraState Medical Center. Garcia also plans to donate “ear savers’’ to a local firehouse and police station.
Thank you Deb, Wendy, Lisa and all employees who have found time to give back during this uncertain time. Please accept our sincerest appreciation for living our core values of safety and integrity, for keeping our communities safe and for going above and beyond your core responsibilities under trying circumstances.
May you send me headband pattern for the masks? I am a Registered Nurse and wife of a PSEG employee.
Thank you,
Laurie Knies
laurieknies@yahoo.com
From me and my daughter Angie, a member of RWH health care team in New Brunswick, our congratulations to all of you for your initiative to support our first line health care workers with such of great ingenuity.