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Isabel “Izzy” Josendale, 13-years old, wanted to do something to help first responders during the COVID-19 pandemic, because her dad is a Fire Fighter/EMT in Virginia and her step-dad is an Assistant Sheriff and Bureau Chief in the Prince George’s County Sheriff’s Office (PGSO). Izzy wanted to make some colorful, protective face masks that could be worn and washed and worn again.

After some discussion and an understanding that public safety civilian employees who work in the essential support roles, are issued surgical style masks that aren’t meant for repeated uses, Izzy decided to put her budding sewing skills to the test and began making face masks for agency civilians from a variety of materials she had laying around. Izzy’s first few masks fit her stuffed animals and her younger siblings but practicing helped her get pretty good at production.

In the process, Izzy learned that Joann Fabric Stores were giving away packets with enough materials to make 5 masks and convinced them to donate 6 packets. In the breaks between her daily on-line school work and household choirs Izzy set out to make 30 masks, the first batch of which step-dad Lt. Col. Roccapriore (Rocky) delivered to the Domestic Violence Intervention Division (DVID) Processing staff earlier this month.

As often happens with a busy production line, Izzy’s work schedule was interrupted several times with unexpected extra school work and other unscheduled priorities, but on Tuesday April 21^st Izzy decided to burn the midnight oil – past her regular bedtime - until all the remaining masks were done. They were delivered last week to staff in Warrant Processing, Warrant Investigations and several to the Teletype section.

Izzy said it was tough work, but she is happy to have helped to make things a little better for those trying to stay safe while they serve the rest of us.