The Colony & Frisco Residents Make 600 PPE Masks for Navajo Nation
Kristan MillerFeatured Photo: “Finished Masks 1” provided by Barbara Brown of Frisco
The COVID-19 pandemic has been disastrous in many ways. But it has also brought about kindness, service, and love. We can see acts of charitable service on our TVs and via social media every day. Such acts are being conducted by many members of our own community.
Jane Warner of The Colony is one example of someone who wanted to help in a meaningful way. She said, “I felt I needed to do something to help the fight against COVID-19.” Jane began reaching out to find opportunities to serve and learned that Navajo Nation had requested 13,000 face masks from the Sewing for Navajo Nation group. Navajo Nation, the largest land area retained by an indigenous tribe in the United States, has been particularly hard hit by COVID-19. The Navajo Nation has more cases of COVID-19 than nine entire states and more deaths than 13 states.1
“I got a hold of them, and they asked if our Texas group could do 500 masks. All materials and work would need to be donated. I said, ‘Sure!’ and started making calls.” Those calls were made to members of Jane’s church, The Colony ward (congregation) of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She also reached out to other congregations of The Church of Jesus Christ in Frisco.
Despite finding volunteers willing to help, filling the request for the masks was not easy. Problem after problem arose, from broken sewing machines to difficulty finding materials. Those who signed up to help used cotton fabric (as requested by Navajo Nation), all the elastic they had and, when that ran out, they made ties in place of elastic. Some used ribbon, shoelaces, and even t-shirt fabric cut into strips for ties.
Ultimately, 31 women from across The Colony and Frisco jumped in to help. In some cases, young daughters served alongside their mothers, and adult daughters sewed with their mothers. Some sewed 10, some 20, some 50, and some 60. Together, they not only made the 500 masks they promised but also an additional 100 – a total of 600 masks. All 600 masks are now on their way to help those in need. As Jane shared, “With the Lord’s help, we did it.”
