Toni Fillman, president of Whitehall-Coplay PTO PLUS, is always looking for ways to spread joy to Whitehall-Coplay School District students, whether it’s by dressing up in a variety of costumes, such as the Cat in the Hat, or by planning special events, like family movie night and book bingo.

Fillman realized the 2020-21 school year was going to present children with new challenges, such as wearing masks all day. She collaborated with Whitehall Rotary Club President Denise Continenza and her fellow club members, WCSD Superintendent Dr. Lorie Hackett, Whitehall High School Assistant Principal Alicia Knauff, WCSD Registrar Michelle Khouri and other PTO PLUS members in order to offer Zephyr-themed masks for students.

Fillman said she began to think about designing the masks because her son does it for his baseball team. At the same time, Hackett, Knauff and Khouri had similar thoughts. Hackett put Fillman in charge of finding a company to design and sell the masks.

Fillman met with Safeguard owner Jerry Lloyd and worked with designer Gina Lucci-Dauberman to select the mask graphics. Safeguard is a business printing company in Whitehall, and as it turned out, Lloyd and Lucci-Dauberman are both graduates of WHS.

“Working with Toni has been fantastic. She does an unbelievable amount of work for the school district. They are very lucky to have her,” Lloyd said.

To boost the spirits of WCSD children heading back to school in this new environment, Fillman is planning to make a video of herself reading “The Very Impatient Caterpillar” by Ross Burach. Fillman said she is going to dress up as a butterfly and make the video in her sister’s garden. She wants to show students their masks are like a cocoon.

Fillman wants to tell students, “When that mask comes off, eventually, all of these beautiful butterflies, which are you, are going to come out of it.”

Three mask styles are available for purchase at zephyrtough.itemorder.com, including the Badger Sport Performance Activity mask, also known as a neck gaiter, for $6, and two different three-ply sublimated masks, for $9 each. Available sizes are small/medium and large/extra large. Shipping costs are $1.80 per mask. The deadline for ordering is Aug. 26, and orders are being handled completely by Safeguard and shipped to homes about three to four weeks after the sale ends.

According to Fillman, the mask sale is not a fundraiser, and there is no profit for the PTO PLUS or WCSD. Fillman is currently exploring the possibility of offering Zephyr hand sanitizers for sale as well.

“Hopefully, this will ease the transition of having to wear a mask. I am very concerned for our little ones leaving Mom and Dad (and) then wearing a mask, as well as a whole different look in school,” Fillman said.