Why masks? A Personal Request

I’ve written many blogs over the years, with fun subjects that include recipes, new fashion tips and travel suggestions. They offer an interesting diversion from the day-to-day routines that are meant to bring some lightness to your world. This blog is personal. I’m not only part of the A’nue family, I’m also a Registered Nurse who spent years working in pediatrics units of hospitals. And witnessing the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, with all its inherent, tragic suffering and death, has made it hard to sit on the sidelines. I have spent the past six weeks volunteering at a local testing site and on a mobile van unit performing nasal swabs to test for the virus. It has been an amazing experience to witness and participate in a coordinated outreach effort to help my local community. The gratitude of the people we test, the dedication and resourcefulness of our local heroes who work tirelessly in hospitals, grocery stores, on farms and in factories to provide essential services, the courage of our communities – these things have brought me hope and a renewed sense of purpose. It is empowering to know that I can have an impact is some small way, and that I can help bring about change.

Here’s the incredible thing: each person has the ability to provide that same amount of positive change by making simple choices every day. In addition to staying socially distant, washing your hands often and choosing outdoor activities when meeting up with friends, you have a powerful tool right at your fingertips: Wear A Mask! A face covering is an effective, selfless way to protect others. Yes, it’s awkward and sometimes uncomfortable at first. But like any new habit, you get used to it with time. And in order to break this cycle of transmission, we all need to be doing the right thing. Who doesn’t need a mask? Children under 2 years old, people who have trouble breathing and anyone who is unable to remove the mask without assistance. For the rest of us, find your favorite face covering and wear it, wash it & put it on again. Keep an extra mask in your car in case you forget. Write a reminder on your calendar. You can do this!

I’m tremendously proud of how quickly A’nue mobilized its resources to begin manufacturing masks that conform to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines. Not all masks are created equal. Our A’nue Miami mask has multiple layers, fits across the nose and mouth and can be cleaned and reused again and again. It comes in a variety of bold and neutral colors, which allow you to look fantastic while you are doing the right thing. Our A’nue fabric, the very same one you’ve come to love in all of our many styles and colors, is what we use for our masks, which means it will hold up beautifully through many washings and is soft and comfortable next to your skin. Not only do we make adult masks, we even make kids masks for all of the little ones in your life. As a bonus, we donate $2 from the sale of every mask to Jose Andres’ World Central Kitchen. So far, we've been able to donate over $4,000 to this amazing organization. It’s a win-win.

We thank you for doing your part to make the world a better place. Thank you for wearing your mask, thank you for stopping the spread of COVID-19 and thank you for caring about your community!

Wendi Samway



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