Seneca Valley Students Sewing Masks For Essential Businesses

CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP, PA - A group of Seneca Valley School District students and their parents have teamed up with the Cranberry Sews It Flat organization to sew masks for township workers and other professionals and essential workers in the region.

The students include senior Eric Kavanagh; juniors Simren Jayaraman and Alisha Aboosally; sophomore Shannon Jenkins and her sister, Erin, 2019 Seneca Valley High School graduate; Class of ’19; seventh grade student Sydney Brower; and Sophia and Leena Aprile, sixth grader and third grader, respectively.

“I have been sewing masks for the past three weeks,” Jayaraman said. “I became involved with sewing masks because my neighbor and close family friend, who runs a seamstress business, Tatiana Brower, asked if I wanted to help.”

According Jayaraman, Brower, who is also an Seneca Valley parent, instructed her on how to sew the masks.

Jayaraman and her mother made 25 masks for Cranberry Sews It Flat., which donated them to essential businesses and workers.

“We are essentially making two styles of supplemental masks that can be worn over N95 masks to keep them cleaner for longer or worn alone as part of the ‘My Mask Protects You, Your Mask Protects Me’ campaign,” Brower said.

Jayaraman said she is grateful for the opportunity to help her community.

“I’m so thankful to all the healthcare workers and other employees who continue to provide their services during this time and I’m glad I can give back to them a little bit by providing them with these masks," she said. "Sewing the masks has taught me that everyone has a role to play and no matter how small, any bit of effort can help.”

According to Brower, they have donated approximately 3,400 masks thus far. Those wishing to help or donate materials should contact her at solutionsbytatiana@gmail.com