Finley Middle School student sews masks for healthcare workers

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Robert M. Finley Middle School eighth grader Virginia Graziosi is using her time away from school to contribute to the community. When she is not doing schoolwork, she is helping the local medical staff at Glen Cove Hospital by sewing reusable cloth masks.

“Being at home inspired me to help in any way I could,” Virginia said. “So, I gathered supplies and started sewing.”

Virginia received the sewing machine as a gift, said Rosella Graziosi, Virginia’s mother. “She taught herself to sew watching videos on YouTube, but only started using it more when she knew the difference she could make with it,” Rosella said.

In total, Virginia sewed 50 masks. While she and her mother originally planned to drop the masks off at the Nassau County Public Safety Parking lot, her aunt, who works in the radiology department at Glen Cove Hospital, suggested donating the masks to the local hospital.

The cotton masks are often worn over disposable surgical masks and N95 masks, extending their wear-time for health care workers who have been reusing their PPE while caring for Covid-19 patients.

“It is so gratifying to know that we could help our Glen Cove community,” Virginia said. “We are so thankful for everything our essential workers are doing to keep us safe during these strange and uncertain times.”