Thanks to Covid-19, masks aren’t just for Halloween this season. But on Oct. 28, the Community of Vermont Elders (COVE) will celebrate the year’s spookiest holiday – and Covid safety awareness – with a virtual awards ceremony for the winners of COVE’s Best Covid Halloween Mask.
“We have spent the last seven months struggling to adjust to a ‘new normal’,” said COVE Executive Director Ruby Baker of life in the age of Covid-19. “This contest is a way to make wearing masks into something fun and connect it to Halloween.”
The contest is open to Vermonters of all ages, and winners will be judged on “cleverness, creativity, and all-around awesomeness,” Baker said. Those wishing to enter can upload a photo to the group’s Facebook page or send an email. (Details below). Prizes awarded to first, second, and third place winners include a donated fresh farm salad kit and hand printed tea towel from Steadyfoot Farm, a handmade ceramic bowl from Uphill Pottery, and a gift box from Ackermann Maple Farm, among other locally donated items.
“The community support for this has been incredible,” Baker said. “In this time when small businesses are struggling, the Vermont spirit of community is truly inspiring.”
In recent months, COVE has increased efforts to include people of all ages in fun, celebratory-themed virtual events hosted by the nonprofit advocacy group. Such inclusivity is by design, Baker said.
“We all need to embrace aging, in ourselves and others,” Baker explained. “Awareness and advocacy are important, but we also need to make space to breathe, to celebrate, to relax.”
Life is “not just about getting through Covid,” Baker added. “At COVE, we support quality of life for all Vermonters as we age, but that can mean different things at different times. Some days it’s supporting a bill or preventing back brace scams, and some days it’s allowing our soul to relax into the rhythms of poetry.”
Other days, Baker said, it means celebrating Vermont’s most creative Covid masks.
“We all want to continue enjoying our lives, despite, or even because of, Covid,” Baker said. “After all, if we don’t take the time to enjoy life, what are we advocating for?”
To enter COVE’s Covid Halloween Face Mask Contest, visit their Facebook event page facebook.com/events/826764008162799/ to upload a photo and view the prize gallery. Or email MaraB@vermontelders.org or RubyB@vermontelders.org
Disclaimer: Photos submitted to this contest may be used for COVE promotional purposes including but not limited to website and social media posts, news stories and press releases.
