Lawrence quilting group to make 6,400 masks for middle, high school students

As schools in both Kansas and Missouri craft their back-to-school plans, others are raising their hand to help out in the effort, like a Lawrence quilting group sewing masks for students and staff ahead of the reopening.

AS PART OF OURREBOUND EFFORT -- 41ACTION NEWS ISCOMMITTED TO GETTINGYOUR STUDENTS SAFELYBACK TO SCHOOL.AND A QUILTING GROUP INKANSAS IS WORKINGTOWARD THE SAME GOAL.41 ACTION NEWSREPORTER JORDAN BETTSSHARES HOW THE GROUPWILL HELP LAWRENCESTUDENTS AS THEYRETURN TO SCHOOL.KELLY STILLINGS ISSEWING AS MUCH AS SHECAN.ALL FOR ONE REASON.Kelley Stillings, Kaw ValleyQuiltersGuild"As schools started to talkabout reopening, I thoughtwell the Lawrence Schools aregoing to probably needmasks."SHE IS PART OF THE KAWVALLEY QUILTERS GUILD INLAWRENCE.TAKING ON ACHALLENGE THAT MIGHTSEEM IMPOSSIBLE.Kelley Stillings, Kaw ValleyQuiltersGuild"We ended up deciding wewould do the two high schoolsand the four middle schools.That is going to be about 6400masks."LAWRENCE SCHOOLDISTRICT, ALONG WITHSEVERAL OTHER METROSCHOOLS ARE BUYINGMASKS FOR STUDENTSAND STAFF THROUGH THECARES ACT FUNDING.LUCKILY FOR THELAWRENCE DISTRICT, THISDONATION IS SAVING THEMMONEY.Anthony Lewis, Lawrence SchoolDistrict Superintendent"It will keep us from having torestock on those masks ifthose students have thosecloth masks that they can holdonto to."FOR SCHOOLS WHO ARENOT GETTING A DONATIONLIKE THIS, THEY AREALREADY ORDERINGMASKS AS A WAY TO KEEPSTUDENTS, TEACHERSAND FACUTLY MEMBERSSAFE.Kristi McNerlin, ChiefCommunications Officer for BlueValley School District"We have 185,000 on orderfor disposable masks.

So,that's quite a big order."BLUE VALLEY SCHOOLSSAYS FINDING MASKS CANBE TOUGH BUT BIGDISTRIBUTORS HAVE COMETHROUGH.Kristi McNerlin, ChiefCommunications Officer for BluValley School District"We are going be in a goodplace by the time schoolstarts."Nats from sewingTHE LAWRENCE QUILTERSKNOW THE DISTRICT ISBUYING MASKS, THEY JUSTWANT TO LIGHTEN THELOAD.Kelley Stillings, Kaw ValleyQuiltersGuild"Right now, this is whatneeds the attention and thetime.

So, I am very willing todo this."JORDAN BETS 41 ACTIONNEWS.SO FAR THE GROUP HASMADE MORE THAN 2THOUSAND MASKS.BUT COULD USE YOURHELP TO MAKE MORE.WE'RE SHARING HOW YOUCAN JOIN THEIR CAUSE ONOUR WEBSITE -- KSHB DOTCOM -- JUST LO