Local families use sewing skills to make masks for our heroes

by Ashley Lies

During the quarantine, I am spending time sewing fabric face masks for Masks for Heroes (on Instagram). So many of our emergency personnel now have no access to the masks they need and are resorting to home sewn ones. Anything to give them even a bit more protection is needed.

 I have cousins in medical residency in Virginia and Arizona and another cousin who is a helicopter rescue pilot, so my next batches will be sent directly to them. If you can sew, visit @masksforheroes to learn more. If you can't sew, even offering to donate materials and elastic or cutting out patterns for someone who does is a great way to help. Find something you enjoy or are good at and turn it into a way to show our neighboring states that we are supporting them.

by Gail Weisenburger

I love to do projects with my grandchildren Brody and Kaci. When I saw that many people were making surgical masks, it seemed like another perfect project especially since they were out of school. Kaci has been sewing with me for several years, and Brody has learned to sew this year in Miss Good's Family and Consumer Science class at NR-S school.

Everyone had a job. Kaci and Brody sewed, my husband Allan cut out the pieces and I pinned them together to have them ready for the sewing machine. I laughed because I felt like I was back in my classroom many years ago with students saying "help me" with this and "help me" with that. Over a 5- 6 hour time, with many breaks in that time period, we put together 14 or 15 masks, and there are still more to be sewed.

The masks will go to 4th Corporation in New Rockford, upon request from staff member Rachel Holzwarth.

My philosophy is that kids need to learn by doing service projects for others. My parents were my role models as I grew up through their volunteering in the community and their church. I hope I can be the same for my grandchildren.