Decorah area volunteers join together to create and distribute nearly 2,000 facemasks

Posted: Wed, Apr 15, 2020 1:09 PM

(All photos courtsey: Seamsters Union of Winneshiek County's Facebook page)

Over 120 area volunteers in the "Seamsters Union" and the "Doing Our Part-Together" groups have been busy donating, collecting, washing, ironing, cutting, and sewing fabric to create over 1,880 (as of 4/15/20) face masks for many of the essential workers in the Decorah area.

Face masks have been delivered to places such as the Winneshiek Medical Center, senior care facilities, Decorah police and fire departments, the Winneshiek County Sheriff Departments, Hometown Taxi drivers, Impact Coffee delivery persons, the US Post Office, and other high priority, vulnerable groups.

The organizations would like to send out special thanks to Decorah Walmart, Red Roxy Quilt Company, Decorah Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Burning Bright Concert Fund, and many local citizens for the donations to this cause. They'd also like to thank the volunteers who are working hard to get these face masks created and distributed.

Even though a large number of face masks have already been made and distributed, the groups continue to set even more goals. They'd like to get one more batch of masks to places like Aase Haugen, Eastern Star, and Wellington Place so the people in the facilities can have "one in the wash, one on the face." This means about 300 more masks need to be made.

The groups are also looking into how to get masks to the general community without too much cross-contamination. They will continue to brainstorm on that idea. Additionally, they are figuring out numbers of masks needed for NEICAC and EARL drivers in the area.

If you are interested in volunteering with these groups, get in touch with Shirley Vermace at svermace@gmail.com or at (536) 419-2999.

Check out the Seamsters Union of Winneshiek County Facebook page here for more information and pictures.