I Hospitality heroes
Many Indiana distilleries stepped up to manufacture hand sanitizer, including Spirits of French Lick. PHOTO: French Lick Winery
Pharmacy have been busy compounding hand sanitizer, too. Primary recipients have been frontline workers in healthcare, emergency services and essential employee work places. As with masks, much of the hand sanitizer has also been made available to the public. Trish’s Red Bird Café in Dayton, near Lafayette, provided free meals to truckers beginning in March, when most restaurants along their routes were closed. Signs on I-65 invited truckers
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Distillery in Borden, Spirits of French Lick in West Baden, Cedar Creek Distillery in Martinsville, Oakley Brothers’ Distillery in Anderson, Monkey Hollow Winery and Distillery in St. Meinrad, Indiana Distillery in South Bend, and Three Rivers Distilling Company in Fort Wayne. And then there’s Annie Oakley Natural Perfumery in Ligonier, which suspended its perfume production to make hand sanitizer instead. The Purdue College of Pharmacy and Purdue University
J u n e J u l i e n : Tourism Director and Major Mask Maker What began as her drive to help others during the pandemic literally turned into a “mask factory” in the home of June Julien, executive director of the Steuben County Tourism Bureau in northern Indiana. June has always been creative, and certainly knows her way around a sewing machine, so when the initial need for masks arose, June quickly took to her home sewing room and began helping others—one mask at a time. To date, June has personally made and donated more than 700 masks—yes, SEVEN HUNDRED—all while working full-time managing and overseeing the day-to-day tourism operations in Steuben county. The mask production out of her home became so great, that June started wondering what her neighbors thought. ABOVE: June Julien sports one of her favorite “sushi” masks.
“Neighbors were probably curious why so many people were picking up Ziploc bags from my front porch!” June quipped. She also crocheted ear savers for nurses and teachers. The masks were donated to several groups including county employees, fire department workers, Department of Children’s June has made and donated more than Services, elected officials, restaurants, 700 masks. family and friends, and more. Others joined in on the mask-making, and June’s hairdresser, Lee Ann Snyder, even started up a Facebook group called “Steuben County Masks.” While friends donated supplies and/or money for supplies, it was June who worked tirelessly to create the masks in order to help others. We can’t thank June enough for her selfless gifts to the community!
LEFT: Ear savers help people who have to wear masks for long periods of time.
traveliN Holiday 2020
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