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Student, robotics coach lauded for making mask straps

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  • Superintendent Rick Surrency, Ochwilla Elementary School Assistant Principal Sharice Williams, Principal Beth Leary, Robotics Coach Brian Parrish, Brian Bunch, Grace Bunch and state Sen. Keith Perry, R-Gainesville, stand with the proclamations given to Brian Bunch and Parrish on Wednesday.
    Superintendent Rick Surrency, Ochwilla Elementary School Assistant Principal Sharice Williams, Principal Beth Leary, Robotics Coach Brian Parrish, Brian Bunch, Grace Bunch and state Sen. Keith Perry, R-Gainesville, stand with the proclamations given to Brian Bunch and Parrish on Wednesday.
  • Bunch demonstrates how to use the mask strap he created with his 3-D printer.
    Bunch demonstrates how to use the mask strap he created with his 3-D printer.
  • Bunch demonstrates how to use the mask strap he created with his 3-D printer.
    Bunch demonstrates how to use the mask strap he created with his 3-D printer.
  • Ochwilla Elementary School robotics coach Brian Parrish and Interlachen Elementary School student Brian Bunch accept proclamations Wednesday for making face mask straps.
    Ochwilla Elementary School robotics coach Brian Parrish and Interlachen Elementary School student Brian Bunch accept proclamations Wednesday for making face mask straps.
  • Positively Putnam FL
    Positively Putnam FL
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HAWTHORNE – The slow turn of a 3-D printer Wednesday at Ochwilla Elementary School signified 901 face mask straps made to help emergency personnel. 

Brian Parrish, Ochwilla’s robotics coach and cafeteria manager, started making mask straps after seeing the design on Facebook. He decided to join forces with Interlachen Elementary School fifth-grader Brian Bunch who produced the same straps. 

“I did it because my mom works at the hospital and (she) said, ‘I could use these,’” Bunch said. “I crank 20 out a day.” 

He said he has made at least 200 to date and the masks are given to Azalea Health locations in Putnam County, UF Health in Gainesville where his mom works and to people who want the masks for head support. 

“These clips allow the masks to be stretched further across the face so that the elastic (straps) don’t just sit there and rub and rub and rub,” Parrish said.

Parrish said he has sent his straps across the country for free to anyone who wants one. On top of making straps, Parrish serves food 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at Ochwilla’s cafeteria for people during the coronavirus outbreak. He said he serves 1,190 Putnam County School District families for per day free. 

State Sen. Keith Perry, R-Gainesville, presented Bunch and Parrish with proclamations from the state Wednesday acknowledging their work. 

“I just wanted to present it to you on behalf of the state of Florida to really thank you (for) what you’re doing,” Perry said to Bunch as he presented the proclamation. “It’s simple and effective.”

Bunch, who wants to be a computer engineer when he id older, said he wanted to hang the proclamation in his room. 

Perry started out in the roofing business before becoming a senator and said working with hands-on activities and getting into manufacturing at such a young age was impressive. 

“You give us older people hope,” Perry said to Bunch.