As masks are becoming a bigger part of daily life in Canada, one group in Guelph is giving volunteers everything they need to make them for people in need in the community. All you need to add is your time and your sewing machine.
The Merry Mask Makers program is being offered by the Guelph Tool Library with a goal of getting enough volunteers to make 1,000 fabric masks.
The kits have all of the material needed to assemble up to 14 masks at home, said Stephanie Clarke, facilitator at Guelph Tool Library.
“The hope is we can make 1,000 masks and get them out to anyone in our community who has had trouble accessing a mask,” said Clarke. “It’s also about encouraging the wearing of masks and to normalize that behaviour, because we think it’s something that will be sticking with us for a while and the more we can normalize it and make it a part of our lives, the easier it will be for people to accept.”
Clarke estimates about 75 volunteers would be needed to hit the goal by the end of June.
There is no charge for the kits to those volunteering to make the masks. The material costs for the project have been covered by United Way Guelph Wellington Dufferin and the Community Foundation of Guelph.
Video tutorials for the different available mask styles will be online later this week, said Clarke.
“If people are sewing them and need some extra assistance, we are always able to chat over Zoom or message back and forth,” said Clarke. “We are really flexible and we are very appreciative of anybody who is able to help.”
Volunteers are also needed to deliver supplies or finished masks, so even if your sewing skills are not as good as you would like, you can still contribute to the project.
Clark has been sewing for the past 20 years and was most recently using that skill in her own small business. When the pandemic began, she shifted to sewing masks.
“I saw something there was a need for that I could use my skills and the material that I already had to help make it a little easier for folks to access,” said Clarke.
So far, masks have been delivered to The Bench and Chalmers Community Services, as well as to a group bringing them to First Nations communities.
To date, Clarke estimates she has personally sewed about 200 masks and she said it feels good to know her work is having an effect on reducing transmission of COVID-19 in the community.
“I am definitely not the only person doing something like this. There are several Facebook groups right now with hundreds of members each that have been working throughout the entire pandemic to produce masks, gowns and scrub caps. The difference that has made is massive,” said Clarke.
People can match their masks for different situations, said Clarke.
“I have a mask for almost every outfit because I like to have the choice,” she said. “You might as well have a fun one or one that suits your personality.”
The risk of transmitting COVID-19 goes down exponentially in a when all parties are wearing a mask, said Clarke.
“It’s really important that we encourage the general public to wear a mask for all of their activities outside the house, whenever possible,” said Clarke. “I have noticed with other people wearing masks that we have kind of a nod when we pass each other in the store or the street, kind of like ‘yep, I care about you and you care about me’ and I think that’s great.”
People interested in registering to sew face masks or to be added to the distribution list for completed masks, contact [email protected].
