Hammond, LA
May 5, 2020
S O U T H E A S T E R N L O U I S IA NA U N I V E R S I T Y
‘Mask Up & Make a Difference’ combats supply shortages BRYNN LUNDY Staff Reporter
The College of Nursing and Health Sciences is partnering with the Southeastern Foundation to help with the low supply of medical masks for healthcare workers amidst the global emergency. The project will also aid current and future graduates of the university who are working on the front lines. The initiative, called “Mask Up & Make a Difference,” provides a means for volunteers to do one of four tasks to help the cause. Volunteers can collect supplies and donate them, make a monetary donation to the Southeastern Foundation to aid the purchase of more supplies, help sew partially or fully completed masks or teach others how to do so. Melanie Easley, an administrative coordinator for Physical Plant Services, has donated some of her time to the cause by sewing multiple masks. Her reasoning for participating in the project is twofold. “I wanted to do this because sewing is kind of a lost art with the younger generation, and I think there are so few of us that do this,” said Easley. Alumna Valerie Saba is one of many volunteers to make and donate masks to the “Mask Up & Make a Difference” initiative. Easley’s sister-in-law is a nurse Each mask, all supplies and every monetary donation will go toward assisting front-line healthcare workers during this practitioner in the New Orleans time of low inventory and high demand. Courtesy of Valerie Saba area. Sewing masks is a way for
Students with loved ones in the medical field forced to make additional adjustments DYLAN MECHE Staff Reporter
Throughout the past several weeks, students have been forced to stay at home with their families as Louisiana responds to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Some students with parents in the medical profession have had to make additional adjustments. On March 22, Gov. John Bel Edwards issued a stay-at-home order which directed the closure of businesses deemed as nonessential such as movie theaters and barbershops. Businesses deemed as essential, including healthcare providers, have been permitted to remain open and have adapted their operation to address the pandemic. Several students have parents who are currently working jobs that are considered essential, including senior kinesiology major Claudia Rome. “My mother works for Humana insurance company,” said Rome. “While she is not
working directly against the disease, she works countless hours to help get food and supplies to the elderly to make sure that they are safe and healthy.” During the pandemic, Rome has continued to work at a physical therapy clinic that treats patients recovering from surgeries. “While both my family and I are not working on the front lines to help fight the disease, working in the healthcare industry right now means that you are always fighting the disease,” stated Rome. “We have to wear protective equipment in all aspects. We work countless hours to make sure the patients are getting the care they need.” Rome also shared that her boyfriend is working as a pediatric ICU nurse. Rome described how his essential job has affected her and her family. “He is working the front line in protecting patients,” said Rome. “He has not seen any of us since this has started. He normally strips from his scrubs as soon as he gets home and changes into normal clothes so the house
isn’t contaminated. He wears a gas mask, and he is starting to get bruises on his face because of it. He is mentally and physically tired, yet he wants to go back in day after day because he wants to treat the patients.” Sarah Shoun, sophomore kinesiology major, also described what it is like to have a loved one working in healthcare during this pandemic. “My mother is a nurse practitioner,” shared Shoun. “I get to hear stories from her about patients who are fighting for their lives, and in general, stay up to date with current news and events regarding the coronavirus.” Shoun described the additional safety measures that she and her family are taking due to her mother’s essential job and how it has affected her. “We have had to stay away from loved ones and avoid shopping and interacting with people,” said Shoun. “However, since we are told to stay at home, I have been able to hang out with my family more and enjoy more quality time with them.”
her to help essential workers and make a difference while staying at home. “I see all of these endless hours that doctors and nurses put in, as well as other essential workers, and felt that this little thing that I could do might help,” shared Easley. “My heart goes out to them. It makes me feel like I’m making a contribution to this huge mess we’re in right now. I pray for these people.” Joan Guzzardo, volunteer for “Mask Up,” has sewed and donated over 30 masks to this project. “I think it’s a worthy cause, and I think the mask is good protection for all people to wear,” expressed Guzzardo. “I’m a cancer patient right now, and it gives me something to do at home. This is a crazy, crazy time right now, but I think it’s the best thing we can do as a society to help one another.” Valerie Saba, a university alumni, is another “Mask Up” volunteer. She commented on how the task of crafting masks has affected her quarantine experience. “I think it’s made it better because I feel like I’m contributing or doing something,” said Saba. “I’m not just staying at home. I am working a little bit from home online, but it makes me feel like I’m doing something.”
Student summer jobs affected by pandemic AUSTIN DEWEASE Staff Reporter
With the progression of the global pandemic, students have had to change their summer plans. After the spring semester, students typically work to help pay fees for the rest of the year. Now that job opportunities are harder to find, students have expressed their concerns for the upcoming months. Emma Lawless, a sophomore English education major, had two retail jobs before the pandemic. Being out of work has made Lawless uncertain about her future plans. “I am supposed to go back to work at both of these places once this ends, but it does not look like this will end anytime soon,” stated Lawless. “We have discussed doing pick-up from stores at both of my jobs so customers can still shop, and we can still have a job, but nothing is certain yet.” Jenna Burns, a freshman visual arts major, is still employed at an essential business but has decided to take leave. “I made this decision because my mom, who I live with, has chronic bronchitis,” explained Burns. “It could be fatal for her if I happened to bring the virus home after being directly exposed to hundreds of customers every day.” Burns considered moving Protesters take part in a demonstration against California’s stay-at-home orders People protest Gov. Whitmer’s stay-at-home order due to the coronavirus into an apartment to continue that were put in place due to the coronavirus outbreak, in Rancho Cucamonga, pandemic outside the Michigan State Capitol in Lansing, Mich. on Thursday, working her summer job but has Calif., Sunday, May 3, 2020. Watchara Phomicinda/The Orange County Register via AP April 30, 2020. Matthew Dae Smith /Lansing State Journal via AP had some challenges.
Nationwide protests against pandemic shutdowns continue
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She believes this initiative will not only aid the workers receiving the masks but will encourage more people to wear them. “I think it’s great,” said Saba. “I think more people need to do it. I feel like if more people participated, then I think more people would be wearing masks. I think it’s a great give-back to the community.” Kayla Caldwell, a sophomore communication major, shared her sentiments about the university’s initiative. “I think it’s great because the more masks we can provide for health-care workers, the more healthy workers we will have to help those in need with no extra problems or workers at risk of getting sick,” expressed Caldwell. “Therefore, the more people they can nurse back to health.” Volunteers who are willing, able and interested in helping with the project can find more information, download a mask pattern or make a donation at southeastern.edu/maskup. Email cnhs@selu.edu to ask questions, to request materials for making masks or to deliver partially completed or fully completed masks. There is also a collection box where masks can be dropped off, at 400 Mane St., under the Kinesiology and Health Sciences Building breezeway.
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“I haven’t found anything that I could afford, and I definitely don’t earn enough to pay monthly rent,” shared Burns. With few job opportunities, students have unseen financial burdens. Kaitlin Taylor, a sophomore English education major, cannot work over the summer and hopes that her unemployment benefits will continue to give her money to pay her bills. “The pandemic has made it so I cannot work to make a living,” said Taylor. “I am surviving solely on unemployment currently.” Taylor did not receive the government stimulus check because she is claimed as a dependent on her parents’ taxes, so she cannot earn extra money to pay her bills. “I don’t know how much I would make during the summer since I had only worked as a server for a few months before all this, but I am sure it would be more than I am making now,” added Taylor. Gabby Messina, a junior English major, did not receive any forms of compensation for the pandemic because she works as a Resident Assistant for University Housing. “The money that I would’ve gotten from either a stimulus check or unemployment is tremendously more than I make in three months of work,” said Messina. “It’s more than what I would’ve made in a summer if I was able to have a consistent job as well.” Volume 91, Issue 29 A Student Publication www.lionsroarnews.com lionsroar@southeastern.edu