They, too, were impacted by the pandemic.
"For the first time in my life, the first time in 44 years, I had to lay people off," Paul Billoni, President of Colvin Cleaners, said in an interview with WBEN. "It was very emotional for me. To this day, I get tears in my eyes thinking about that – actually laying people off. I've heard people say it all the time but I've never had to."
Now, the company is making free, reusable, and washable face masks for their customers and local non-profits such as nursing and group homes. Heritage, People, Inc., University Orthopedics, the local VA hospital, and dozens more have all reached out to Colvin Cleaners in an attempt to get the masks.
"Our pickup and delivery customers, we're creating an invoice for those with no amount but it goes on one of our trucks," he said. "They're in plastic, sterile bags, on a hanger, and they get hung right at their door whether they had dry cleaning or not they get it delivered to them."
Currently, they've made approximately 2,000 masks. Billoni expects to create around 10,000 masks.
Among the people creating masks is Tammy Davis. Davis normally works in sales at Colvin Draperies nearby. However, her responsibilities have shifted from sales to sewing during the pandemic.
Davis usually sewed as a hobby and previously made 55 masks that she gave to friends and others who needed it. About three weeks ago, she got a call from Billoni asking her to sew for the store.
"Of course," she responded. "I've been sewing since I was nine years old. In my opinion, it was a small, simple thing that I can do that would make me feel like I was helping in some simple way."
Since sewing for Colvin Cleaners, she said she's made about 110 masks.
Davis said the trick to making the masks is to have a sewing machine and sewing in a straight line, back stitching, and going forward," she said.
