How the Colorado Rockies face mask project began and flourished

Valentin explained that they told them their vision of what the project would be and how they would use the masks. Valentin said that both families called him back within minutes and were eager to do whatever, no questions asked.

"“It was, pretty much allowing them to do their own design, whatever they had been doing in their own time,” said Valentin. “[A]nd then, we provided the fabric and then we talked about a pickup date when we got to that point and then, we’re going to distribute them through some of our partners and many via social media as well. Not really doing a giveaway, per se, but just finding people who have been talking about their need as we’ve been talking about the masks, a lot of people were telling their story and just identifying people who would put them to good use.”"

They’ve connected with UC Health as well as connecting with people via DMs. The first masks were sent out Monday.

The Martinez Family

In an exclusive conversation with Rox Pile, Christina Martinez told us about how she and her family got started making masks, even before they started making some of them with the help of the Rockies jerseys.

Martinez said that her sister, Karen, lives near Seattle and is an essential healthcare employee. With the shortages of masks throughout the country when the pandemic first hit (and still in some areas even today), she researched how to make a triple layer Olson-style mask online. Christina and her mother, Martha, used some quilting supplies that Martha had in her sewing room and made some masks for her sister and sent them via UPS for use until her medical grade PPE arrived.