Johanna Hnatiuk and Bonnie Cross present cheque for $16,000 to the North East SPCA. (Facebook/North East SPCA)

By Angie Rolheiser

Masks for NESPCA

Volunteers make large donation to NESPCA through mask fundraiser

Dec 16, 2020 | 12:46 PM

It is the season of giving and a pair of volunteers for the North East SPCA (NESPCA) have taken that to the next level.

A $16,000 donation to the NESPCA was brought in through sales of masks over a number of months.

Johanna Hnatiuk began sewing face masks for her neighbour who is a nurse when the COVID-19 pandemic began. The large fundraiser for the SPCA really took off from there when Hnatiuk began to sew even more and made them available for purchase.

Bonnie Cross took care of the selling and distributing of the masks to the public.

“Never in a million years did we think we would raise $16,000,” Cross said. “We were hoping for $1,000 in the beginning and then we got to $1,000 and I’d go to Johanna’s and she’d suggest going to $2,000 and then $3,000.”

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A donation of $300 was made before sales really picked up, totalling $16,300 for the shelter from the mask fundraiser. When September rolled around and school was back in session, demand for the masks rose again. Teachers as well as students in Grades 4-12 were required to mask-up in order to be in the school.

Mandatory masking for indoor public places came into effect just a few weeks ago as well to reduce the transmission of the coronavirus, making for more mask sales.

The two aren’t quite finished yet either. They still have masks available and have Christmas masks for sale at this time.

(submitted photo/Bonnie Cross)

The funds paid for fencing at the Harry and Eve Vickar Shelter dog run and will also support a cat condo.

“We are both very passionate about animals and just wanted to help the animals,” Cross said. “The dogs can now run freely; they aren’t locked up and the cats will have a beautiful condo to live in.”

The two both agreed that most people began buying the masks just to support the cause but after using them and liking them, they came back for more.

Masks were not only sold in the northeast but also sold and mailed out all over Saskatchewan and beyond.

“We mailed some to the states and some of those actually went to China,” Cross said. “We mailed them to Alberta, Manitoba, and Ontario.”

To get masks in order to keep the community safe while also supporting the shelter was a win-win and brought it all full circle according to Hnatiuk.

“It’s Christmas time and this was giving back to the community and friendships were made as well,” Hnaituk said. “With all that is happening nowadays, this was just great.”

Anyone wishing to get a mask can do so by contacting Cross on Facebook Marketplace.

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angie.rolheiser@jpbg.ca