As a nurse, Port Townsend resident Joy Winfrey is accustomed to problem-solving. So when she saw an amalgamation of conflicting information about face masks—how to sew them, when to wear them—she decided someone needed to step up and wade through the confusion.
“I got frustrated with people posting pattern after pattern with the wrong information,” she said.
After seeing Sequim residents set up a Face Mask Challenge Facebook page, she decided to do the same.
Now, a group of quilters, stitchers and seamstresses have made more than 2,000 masks for the Jefferson County community.
The group, which has more than 100 members on Facebook, has made masks to distribute to many essential workers in Jefferson County, including grocery store workers, long-term care facilities such as Avamere Port Townsend, and anyone who needs one but can’t buy one.
“You wouldn’t believe the people who have stepped up and joined our group,” Winfrey said. “Most are local, but some are from as far away as Edmonds or Portland.”
District Fabrics in Port Townsend and Quilted Strait in Port Gamble have been providing supplies, including fabric and elastic, and Winfrey has set up a pick-up station for the supplies on her front porch.
The CDC and the state Department of Health recommended all individuals wear masks when in public settings, such as at the grocery store. Public Health Officer Tom Locke stated that face masks are not a replacement for social distancing measures, but are to be used in addition to staying home, as directed by Gov. Jay Inslee’s stay-at-home order.
The group contacted Jefferson County’s Department of Emergency Management, which had put out a call for donations of homemade masks.
Jefferson Healthcare has also requested homemade masks for employees who do not work directly with patients.
“Jefferson Healthcare employees, not performing direct patient care, can wear a cloth mask if they are unable to maintain a social distance of 6 feet,” Yaley said. “We would like all of these employees to have easy access to cloth masks and reserve the medical-grade masks for our employees performing direct patient care. Please consider donating homemade cloth masks to our hospital workers.”
The Port Townsend Library and Jefferson County Library book returns now serve as mask drop-off boxes, including the book returns in Port Hadlock and the Quilcene Community Center.
“The Jefferson County Library’s Facebook post about these mask drop-off boxes has received the most action of any post ever on our page, so the community must be very interested in this story,” said Brwyn Griffin, administrative services manager for the Jefferson County Library.
The book return service has been suspended, so those wishing to use the book returns as mask drop-off boxes should place their masks in a bag, put their own names on those bags and seal the bags before dropping them into the boxes.
“I want to thank everyone who has made and sewed homemade masks,” said Willie Bence, director of the Department of Emergency Management. “I believe it’s well over a thousand homemade masks that have been donated and distributed.”
In addition to serving the community, the Face Mask Challenge of Port Townsend has also brought people together, virtually, through their shared joy of sewing.
“It’s remarkable to be working with all of these people with the same mission,” Winfrey said. “As a nurse, my best skill is problem-solving and helping people in an urgent manner. I was drawn to doing this because of that. It’s been invigorating.”
To join the challenge, visit the Face Mask Challenge Port Townsend Facebook page.
• Pattern for sewing a face mask: co.jefferson.wa.us/DocumentCenter/View/9491/PATTERN-for-How-to-Sew-a-Mask.
• Mask sewing and instructions: co.jefferson.wa.us/DocumentCenter/View/9490/Community-Mask-Sewing-and-Drop-Off-Instructions.
• Mask drop-off and pickup locations: co.jefferson.wa.us/DocumentCenter/View/9510/Mask-Drop-Off-and-Pick-Up-Locations.
• Mask use and care instructions: co.jefferson.wa.us/DocumentCenter/View/9492/Community-Mask-Use-and-Care-Instructions.
• For more information: co.jefferson.wa.us/1450/VolunteerHow-to-Help.
