Gowanda Middle School team leaders (top row) Erica Jackson, Melissa Ginnitti, Beth Roblee, Nicole Nellist, and Tracey Newman stand behind Principal Todd Milkas, Quilters for Christ members Katie Swanson and Judy Bohne, and Vice Principal David Smith. Not pictured are two more Quilters of Christ Edith Schell and Barb Wilkins. Photo by Natasha Matteliano

GOWANDA — The Quilters for Christ from the Gowanda Free Methodist Church donated 70 handsewn masks to the Gowanda Middle School faculty and staff.

The Quilters for Christ group delivered the masks last week to the middle school, where some of the faculty got to try them on and pose for a picture with two of the hard workers of the group. There are four ladies in total who took about 10 weeks to make the 70 masks, including Judy Bohne, Katie Swanson, Edith Schell and Barb Wilkins.

“It’s an easy way we can say thank you. The teachers are so devoted and it’s nice to be able to show our appreciation for them,” Swanson said. “You can say thank you over and over again, but when you can really do something physical like this it’s nice.”

Swanson and Bohne delivered the masks to the Middle School Principal Todd Miklas, Vice Principal David Smith, and five of their team leaders to help distribute to all of the staff and faculty. Upon seeing them, all were shocked by the craftiness and details of the masks, including the lettering “GMS” and the custom ear sizers on the straps of the masks. They were blown away by the hard work that the Quilters for Christ put into making the masks and thanked them endlessly.