In early April, when Larry Stoner, Region 1 operations coordinator with Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS), 583 Airport Road, Lititz, learned that Bird in Hand Fabric, owned by Sylvan and Loraine Stoltzfus, had been creating masks for anyone who requested one in response to the COVID-19 crisis, he was moved to involve MDS to help. "They had been making them for about two weeks out of the kindness of their hearts, and they were giving fabric and getting elastic and (wire) for the nose (to others who were making them)," Stoner explained.
Bird-in-Hand resident Manny Flaud, who is associated with the Lancaster MDS unit, knows the Stoltzfuses, and he contacted them on behalf of MDS. "(The Stoltzfuses) were overwhelmed with thousands of requests (for masks)," recalled Stoner, who noted that requests had come from the Lancaster County Prison, Red Rose Transit Authority, and Water Street Mission, along with retirement homes. "Everyone was desperate for face masks made of fabric." Stoner noted that the sewers associated with the fabric shop had produced about 20,000 masks in the two weeks prior to MDS becoming involved in production.
On April 3, a conference call with the MDS unit board was held. Initially, MDS representatives made a decision to help the fabric store cut the material for masks. "We got a pattern from WellSpan (Ephrata Community) Hospital (for an approved fabric mask)," said Stoner, who noted that specifications included the type of material to be used and the length of elastic. "We switched to their pattern as soon as we understood that it was acceptable to the hospital for the health care workers," said Stoner.
"Word was put out on April 3 that we needed volunteers willing to cut the patterns and get (cut material) to sewers," recalled Stoner, who noted that shortly after that the Groffdale Conference Mennonite Community began cutting and sewing face masks to assist the other sewers. Because the Groffdale community does not drive cars, MDS provided drivers to move material.
"On April 7, we started cutting material and getting it to sewers," Stoner stated, sharing that the 100 volunteers created 20,000 masks the first week. "We are calling every fabric shop in the county," said Stoner on April 13, who had traveled to Schaefferstown for material as well as to pick up 70 rolls of quarter-inch elastic. "We are getting connected with the right people to know where to buy things we need," he noted.
By mid-April, MDS was being asked to help make clinical masks for WellSpan. "The goal is to have groups manufacture 100,000 per week for the next eight weeks starting (the week of April 13)," said Stoner, who noted that the masks, which will be used by doctors, will be used one time and then thrown away. "The pattern is a little different and the material is not fabric," shared Stoner, who said that he believes the volunteers can manufacture 25,000 of the masks per week.
Stoner is recruiting members of the Plain community to help with the mask effort, and he has also been spreading information about COVID-19 best practices. "We are trying to get the word out about wearing masks, social distancing, and washing of hands ... to take this seriously," he said.
More information about the MDS response to COVID-19 may be found at https://mds.mennonite.net. Readers who are interested in learning more about the mask-making effort may call 717-823-0952.
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