Detroit VAMC Receives Chapter 9 Face Masks

BY MARK W. SPOONER

Detroit Chapter 9 delivered more than 800 masks to the staff at the John Dingell VA Medical Center in April.

The masks were made at ALJ Tailoring in Novi, Mich., by chapter member Greg Hansen and his wife, Hang. One version is a surgical mask with a filter and the other is a fabric or Olson mask. Hang Hansen, a professional seamstress, produces about three masks per hour.

“She’s used to patterns,” Hansen said. “She cuts the patterns at night, then during the daytime she puts the masks together and does stitching. After we separate them, we iron them and put them in a sanitary bag.”

Chapter 9 reimburses the Hansens for the cost of the materials.

“It’s been well received by the staff at the hospital,” said George Adams, the chapter member who delivered the first batch of masks. “We just decided it was a good idea to focus on veterans.”

Members also placed a thank-you sign to first responders at the hospital’s entrance.

“The efforts of community partners allow us to continue the quality care and services that we need to provide our deserving veterans,” said William Browning, the chief of volunteer and community relations at the VA Medical Center.

Michigan has more than 200,000 Vietnam War veterans, according to the National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics and the U.S. Census.