Heetderks Inspires School Community to Support Front Line Workers
E
lementary School Art teacher Anne Heetderks is always on the go. She is a constant whirlwind of activity either in the classroom encouraging her students to be the best artists they can be or finding a new project to help others that most would be intimidated to tackle. So, it came as no surprise when in the midst of transitioning to teaching online in March (no easy task) Anne found a way to do both and provide desperately needed face coverings to health care workers. With fabric in hand, a design, and her personal sewing machine, Anne got to work. She sewed all hours of the day and night. Soon her husband, Doug Heetderks, Westminster’s WorldWonder teacher, and daughter Elise, a Westminster ‘19 alum and FSU sophomore, joined her by pleating the masks, adding elastic bands, and more. A small assembly line was born. As other employees and Westminster families heard about what she was doing, the assembly line grew, each taking a portion of the task. Anne not only sewed, she also researched, organized and inspired an army of volunteers. She broke down the task of producing a mask into six easy steps so that interested volunteers who did not know how to sew could also make a difference. She created video tutorials and shared them on her YouTube account to support volunteers and to provide a resource for others in the community interested in sewing masks.
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WESTMINSTER CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
