Brunswick resident Joyce Coundorides receives proclamation for mask-making

BRUNSWICK — After more than a year of making and distributing more than 3,000 masks out of her home and helping countless North Royalton residents and businesses in the process, Brunswick resident Joyce Coundorides received a proclamation from City Council on Monday night. "She's just done a tremendous job in volunteering numerous hours and efforts during the COVID-19 crisis," Brunswick Mayor Ron Falconi said. It wasn't always Coundorides' plan to make masks during the pandemic. Originally, with an excess of materials in her attic, she said she planned to make quilts in her free time. Then, after receiving an email from Dan Langshaw — a North Royalton City councilman at the time — looking for people who knew how to sew to make masks, she volunteered her services and got to work. "It all started with Dan's email request through our church," Coundorides said. "One thing led to another and I just kept sewing masks. He kept asking if I could make more. When we were all stuck inside and couldn't go anywhere, it really saved my sanity because it gave me something to do." As part of the #MaskUpNoRo initiative, which was started by Langshaw, more than 6,000 masks were donated to hospital workers, senior citizens and local businesses. Among all the "mask angels" Langshaw said helped the cause, Coundorides made more than half of the provided masks. "She was my last standing angel before the governor issued his reopen Ohio orders and lifted the mask mandate," Langshaw said. "She stuck through it for the entire time. She contributed most to the program. Words can't describe how grateful I am." By the time she hit 3,000 masks, Coundorides said she lost count but kept on going. While she was making the masks for the North Royalton cause, she didn't know if anyone was doing the same for those in Brunswick. But after reading about two women who were making and giving out masks in the city, she decided to continue her focus on North Royalton. "I just gave them to Dan and he was giving them to Southwest General, the nursing homes and retirement homes," Coundorides said. "That was fine with me. As long as there was somebody sewing masks somewhere, I figured it didn't matter where they were going." As the demand grew, she eventually had to go out and get additional materials for kids and teenager masks as well. "The kids masks were the most fun," she said. "That was fun looking for what little boys and girls would like. Then I realized that we have teenagers that don't fit into the children's masks because their heads are too big but they don't want what an 80-year-old woman is going to want. I had to find something that a young adult was like. It was kind of cool and kept me busy and thinking." Despite all the darkness and negativity brought about by the pandemic, Langshaw said one of the bright spots has been the connections made with individuals such as Coundorides and the positive impact she and others have had in their communities. "We never knew each other until the pandemic hit. We've become good friends now," Langshaw said. "It's about the people she doesn't know (and) how big of an impact these masks made on their lives. We need more people like Joyce in this world. Brunswick is very lucky to have such a special resident like her and many others." Contact reporter Jack Kopanski at (330) 721-4063 or jkopanski@medina-gazette.com.