Breyana Landry takes on mask mission

More than 80 employees at Ocoee City Hall are sporting colorful and patterned masks thanks to the generosity of Breyana Landry.

Breyana, who is 17 and recently graduated from Timber Creek High School, has been occupying her time making face masks for people wanting to wear them for protection during the COVID-19 pandemic. She and her mother, Danielle Daily, started making them together to give to family members.

When her stepmother, Amber Landry, who works for the city of Ocoee, mentioned city employees were in need of some, Breyana got right to work, cutting and sewing and coming up with 80 masks in one day.

“She told me the fire chief told her that they were looking for masks and that it might be mandatory soon, and she told me that we should make some masks,” Breyana said. “We just made them that day and gave them 80 the next day.”

Her mother lives in Avalon and works at a hospital in Kissimmee, and when that facility was asking for face masks, Breyana made 50 of them and donated them the next day.

She decided to have some fun with the masks and makes them in fun, bright colors and with various patterns; others have popular Disney characters. All have a filter pocket in case the wearer wants to slide one inside for extra protection.

She made herself a purple face mask in Timber Creek’s school colors to match her cap, tassel, gown and stole for graduation photos.

She has given some to her grandmother, who works for Winn-Dixie and requested a few for her and her co-workers. Another employee at her neighborhood Publix asked for some, as well.

Breyana continues to sew the masks and is selling them for $5 apiece. To make an order, call or text her at (407) 595-7243.

So far, she has sold more than 700 — enough to pay off her car and pay for the insurance.

“We’re just making them in case anyone needs them,” she said. “I just will keep making them and if (requests start) to go down, I will probably stop. But I’ll keep it up on Facebook in case someone wants one from me.”

Breyana said she plans to work in the healthcare field.

“I’m always wanting to help other people,” she said. “I’m going to go to Valencia College to do my pre-requisites to be a nurse practitioner.”