St. Petersburg Lodge member Penny Rase has also shared her sewing skills by making more than 600 face masks since the pandemic started in an attempt to lessen the impacts of the shortage of masks. It takes her at least 30 minutes to make the double-sided 100% cotton mask with comfortable elastic banding to go around the ears. The fabric masks can be used by non-medical personnel such as patients and the general public. They can also be used to cover medical-grade face masks to keep them clean. She sells the masks for $10 each and uses half the monies to buy all the materials and she donates the other half to Pet Pal Rescue in St. Petersburg. As of June 30, Rase has donated $800 and 12 masks to Pet Pal Rescue whose mission is to rescue dogs and cats from shelters who may otherwise be euthanized due to time limitations, illness, injuries, or lack of socialization and training. The organization is dedicated to educating the public about the pet overpopulation crisis, the importance of spaying and neutering, and responsible pet ownership. She is also making 100 masks with patriotic colors and designs to donate to veterans at C.W. Bill Young VAMC at Bay Pines. “When I started making the masks, it was such a great feeling. I just love volunteering, and by doing this I feel like I’m giving back to our community and our veterans,” says Rase.