'In this together'

WILLARD — A local T-shirt company has teamed up with a woman 90 years young to help benefit the American Red Cross. BowWow Graphics in Willard has taken the artist renderings Bonnie Bowen and created T-shirts of first responders and essential workers to highlight during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. The first design of two shirts depicts nurses and doctors in scrubs wearing masks while making the "O-H-I-O" pose. The second design shows a doctor, fireman, restaurant worker and a police officer holding up signs that spell out "Be safe, stay home." Each shirt then has the hashtag, "InThisTogether." A portion of the sales will go to the American Red Cross. The company, which was started 20 years ago as a part-time, home-based business, had been searching for the right design to make a benefit shirt. Bowen is originally from Columbus and now resides in Florida. The Ohio State University graduate had her drawings shared by her daughter throughout social media. "When we saw Bonnie's design, we knew it was acutely what we were looking for," said Katie Veletean, the Marketing and Sales Consultant for the company. "It's relatable to many, and an emotional connection to our customers, and many others we don't yet have the opportunity of serving." Owners Mike and Charlene Bower came across Bowen's design that was posted on the Dr. Amy Acton fan club page on Facebook. Acton is the Director of the Ohio Department of Health. "We contacted her family and asked for permission to partner with them to print the design on a T-shirt in a collaboration effort with proceeds to benefit our medical professionals in the front lines here in Ohio," Veletean said. "They were so excited to be a part of the opportunity, and to see her artwork printed on shirts for the first time — as it has been printed only on paper items in the past. We are very thankful Bonnie and her family had the same heart and vision for this project." Mike and Charlene Bower's son, Brendon, is a nurse practitioner in Baltimore, which also played a role in teaming up with Bowen's design as the Red Cross is facing a shortage of blood across the state. "We are thrilled to have found Bonnie and been given the opportunity to work together to bring her unique, creative drawings to life in the form of a graphic tee," Mike and Charlene said. "The response we've received is both overwhelming and humbling. People from all over the nation are buying these shirts to show their support for our incredibly brave health care and frontline heroes, and to be able to give back and say thank you in this small way is an honor. "We value very much what all of our front line professionals are doing for us during this difficult time," the Bower's added. "We decided on the Red Cross as a way to directly impact and make their jobs easier. We have a major blood shortage and this can help so many. We encourage people to donate blood if and when they can." The shirts can be purchased through the company's website at bowwowgraphics.com/new-products.