A global shortage of face masks is prompting concern for the safety of health care workers. With the nation facing an acute shortage of masks, and with new suggestions for the public to wear masks when they go out, Sun City residents are pulling out their sewing machines to fill the void.
As of April 1, 698 Protective Masks have been sewn and 230 supply kits handed out to those needing fabric and elastic.
A post on Del Webb SunCity Neighbors, Huntley, IL states, “Some heroes don’t wear capes. Join the #HuntleyStrong Hometown Heroes Project – We need heroes to sew masks. Dust off those sewing machines – more sewers are needed! All are welcome to help. The kits include the fabric and elastic needed to create a mask and are available to everyone in our home town that wish to fulfill a critical need within our communities. All are welcome to help. All are welcome to help. Please contact Marie Nemec Frostman at mvnf218@comcast.net if you would like a mask kit.”
Marie Frostman said, “This is a ‘home town’ effort by a number of Sun City residents that have sewing machines at their homes, deliveries are done by a gentleman in our neighborhood. We are distributing masks to many organizations/health care professionals locally. A huge thank you to those that are helping us take care of our own.”
Christine Wojtas, Sun City Resident said, “I sewed 20 fabric masks that a doctor in town was asking for.”
Another Sun City volunteer, Marie Eatinger said, “Something to do in this stay-at-home order. Since there is a shortage of face masks in the medical field, I made my nursing friends and other friends and relatives washable masks. These are super easy and fun to make! All you need is a sewing machine, scraps of cotton fabrics, and ¼-inch elastic and, of course thread & scissors.”
Eatinger said, “It started when a doctor was pleading for masks. I watched a video on YouTube that instructed how to sew the masks and have made over 50. My relatives all over the country are helping also. I have cousin in Montana that has 20 women working on providing hospitals with the much-needed masks.”
“I have given a few masks to my neighbors and our mail lady. One neighbor was so grateful that in exchange he gave a hot beef sandwich from Beef Villa. A couple of neighbors gave me some rolls of toilet paper,” Eatinger said.
JoAnn Fabrics is providing free supplies so anyone can make protective masks. Their site reports that, “Volunteers across the country have made more than 11 million masks.”
The make-your-own-mask kits are free and can be picked up curbside at JoAnn Fabrics stores. Craft store JoAnn Fabrics is providing a way for everyone to help healthcare workers working along the front lines during the coronavirus crisis. The chain store is giving away kits to the public so anyone can make masks for doctors, nurses, and other first responders.
There are some guidelines provided for the make-your-own masks. Remember, you should always have the same side facing outward, the contaminated side. Different colors could help with this. Machine wash the face masks. Remove your mask by taking the straps from the back of your head and pull forward — do not touch the material part of the mask. And of course, remember to wash your hands with soap and water before and after you touch your mask.
