Students Create Masks for Front-Line Workers, Honor Fallen Officer
Two Raritan Valley Community College students have worked together to support professionals on the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis.
Recognizing the need for critical Personal Protection Equipment, Gillian Rock of Stewartsville and Christopher Clark of Washington Township (Warren County) hand-cut and sewed 75 face masks that were donated to hospital workers at Lehigh Valley Hospital, where Gillian’s mother, Rachel Rock, is a Registered Nurse.
“We saw there was a demand for masks when COVID-19 started, and we both have family members who are in the medical field, so it hit close to home!” says Gillian, a student in RVCC’s Cosmetology program. Christopher is pursuing a degree in Electric Utility Technology as part of the Power Systems Institute program offered by Jersey Central Power & Light, a FirstEnergy company, in partnership with RVCC.
Gillian’s father, Karl Rock, is the Chief of Police for the Bedminster Township Police Department. After Patrol Sergeant AlTerek Patterson of the department unexpectedly passed away on April 12, 2020 from complications related to COVID-19, Gillian and Christopher sewed an additional 24 custom masks featuring the Bedminster Police Department logo, as well as the fallen officer’s badge number, #33. The protective masks were worn by the Bedminster officers and members of AlTerek’s family during the funeral.
RVCC is located at 118 Lamington Road in Branchburg, NJ. For further information, visit www.raritanval.edu.
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May 6, 2020
Media contact: Donna Stolzer, 908-526-1200, ext. 8383
PR #113
