by Geoff Fox
Since last Friday, Tina Crawford has been making these masks to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. So far, she has made about 40 masks for those in the medical profession. Some masks have even been sent to nurses in Texas.
photo courtesy of Tina Crawford.
Tri-State Health Center staff wear donated fabric masks. They have said they need more.
Since last Friday, Tina Crawford has been making masks that could help people protect themselves against coronavirus.
So far, Crawford has delivered about 40 masks and has another 30 waiting for elastic and is still sewing. Some have been made with ties as wells.
The masks are made from tightly woven cotton, which every quilter has a stash to work with, she said.
“I have made some with pockets for filters to be placed in if desired,” Crawford said by email.
She added her mother has started making them as have several friends for their local hospitals.
“We completely understand they are not as protective as the medical grade but they are better than asking nurses and patients to wear bandanas and scarves,” Crawford said.
The masks are being given away, she added, as it’s the least she could do for those “who are so important in the fight.”
Crawford said she saw a post on Facebook groups where hospitals were requesting the fabric items because of the shortage of medical masks.
The original idea was to make the masks for patients, but then she saw the shortage was so great the nurses started asking for them.
Right now, Crawford’s masks are for the medical profession and filling specific requests, but she said they could certainly be used for someone going out and about.
Her crafting the masks isn’t just local, it’s nationwide.
Crawford said someone from Texas contacted her after seeing her posts on Facebook.
“I have mailed one shipment to her and more to follow,” she said.
Crawford added her church makes pocket prayer squares to carry with them and included some for the nurses in Texas.
Some masks have headed to Meritus Health in Hagerstown and there have been requests for some for first responders in West Virginia.
If anyone would want one of Crawford’s masks, she said they can find her on Facebook or email her at tinasmemoryquilts@gmail.com.
Clinics ask for masks
Area medical practices have also put out a call for anyone able to sew masks.
Staff at Tri-State Community Health Center this week posted on social media that they had received a donation of fabric masks from a staff member’s mother in McConnellsburg, and were looking for any additional masks that people could sew. The health center has a template they hope to post online.
Tri-State also asked if hardware stores, contractors or painters had extra N95 masks they could donate to the medical offices. Tri-State has clinics in Hancock and Berkeley Springs. Melody Stotler can be contacted at 301-678-5187 ext. 230 or by email at mstotler@tschc.com for more information.
