With a button maker and some selfies, volunteers at the Guelph Tool Library are creating a new meaning for the term ‘to put on a smile’ during the pandemic.
The PIN A Smile On Project is a new initiative started by the GTL in collaboration with the People Information Network (PIN). It offers free buttons to volunteers with their faces on them.
These buttons aim to help residents better identify volunteers and those providing essential services while they wear a face mask.
“These pins are just a useful pinpoint instead of staring at somebody in the mask, you can just take a quick look and see who they are,” explains Thirza Armstrong, a volunteer at the GTL and the button-maker for this project.
She says the idea came from the co-founder of the GTL, John Dennis, as a fun way to provide connection.
“We have a button maker that we loan out to people as part of our inventory,” says Armstrong, “We already have an association with buttons and so it was a pretty natural fit for us.”
Kim Cusimano, the executive director of PIN, says trust is a big thing for people. Face masks, while necessary, make it hard to convey emotion, which can affect trust between volunteers and residents in need.
“A lot of that (communication) comes from our smile,” she elaborates, “It comes from something that we’re now covering up, so I give full credit to the brilliant idea of putting a photo on a button showing someone’s smile.”
Cusimano adds the connection not only benefits those in need, but volunteers as well.
“The ability to connect with someone through a smile is a real gift.”
How it works is members of volunteer groups and organizations can submit a photo to the GTL through email, which will be put on a button. The process takes about one or two weeks.
When choosing a photo, Armstrong has created an infographic to explain what makes an ideal photo for your button. Having worked in print shops and made buttons previously for the GTL, she says her goal with the infographic was to help people get the best photo possible.
“We will make the button out of whatever photo people send us, but we really want them to have the best quality button possible,” says Armstrong.
Having launched the project on Monday, Armstrong says their goal is to give away 500 buttons.
“We’re hoping to have a sponsor for it, and we’re to get 500 buttons from one sponsor,” she mentions, “And if we get another sponsor then we hope to do another 500.”
Currently, the GTL is offering free buttons to volunteer groups and other organizations. It would like to provide buttons to 500 volunteers. Buttons are also available for individuals to purchase for $2.
“It will be really great for people working in senior work centres, or daycare's, or in other places where people might need people to see faces more often.” says Armstrong.
Delivery is available for large button orders while individual orders will be given a specific time slot to pick up buttons.
To order a button for you or your organization, email [email protected].
