In March, SUNY Oneonta’s theatre department was building scenery from cotton fabric for Once Upon a Mattress. Once the production was shut down due to COVID-19, students and faculty used leftover fabric to make masks. The first week in April, they donated a shipment of masks and other protective equipment (N95s, goggles, etc.) to the front lines. They also produced gowns and scrub caps made from Tyvek. The group donated to Springbrook and Arc Otsego near Oneonta, to Unity House in Troy, and to NYU Langone in New York City.
Other campus teams from Science, Art, and the Science Discovery Center joined the effort assist COVID-19 response efforts. Face shields, masks, gowns, and other items for essential workers continued to be made throughout the year. You can find more details on the overall efforts in a previous blog titled Campus Volunteers Make PPE To Continue Keeping Healthcare Facilities Safe.