Mask making is a community skill

These are times that are unusual, to say the least. Isolation and other restrictive measures have been in force for a couple of weeks and news can be quite alarming. But the current situation has brought out the best in many Wimberley citizens as they have answered the call to help.

What call is that you might ask? The call to put their sewing skills to work and help fight the pandemic by making masks for front line doctors, nurses, first responders and others.

It’s happening all over the valley. Two of he facilitators are Cindy and Jeff Payton. Cindy makes the delivery of material each day to six people who, along with the Paytons, will make about 100 masks a day.

Both Cindy and Jeff had the same thought on March 22. Jeff came in after creating a template for a three layer mask and Cindy said, “I knew you would do that!” Soon they were putting out 30 masks a day.

“I had several templates, and we agreed on which would work. We wanted the best possible, three layers with the front cotton, the middle 100% cotton backing then the back, cotton drapery lining,” Jeff said. “I took a pattern and modified it, made it bigger and pleated with the mask flatted.”

“His design is to fit over a N-95 mask,” Cindy said. “It will extend the life of a surgical mask. Over but breathable.”

So far they have been mailed to fire stations, four hospitals several nursing homes, vet clinics, judges, “and we have covered the Wimberley EMT, the fire department, Post Office, two veterinarian clinics, an we’ve sent masks to Florida, Arkansas, Arizona, all over Texas, Louisiana and a Minnesota medical courier company that acts as a courier of stem cells and bone marrow for transplants,” Cindy said. “The needs are overwhelming.”

Like other groups around town that all appeared about the same time, people heard about them and now masks are being made all over the valley to help out those that are on the front lines in hospitals and such.

“We all kind of started at the same time,” Jeff said.“It’s like the flood in 2015, it touched my heart. The entire valley coming together as one…it’s overwhelming, the whole community is awesome. It’s not about us. It’s about the community helping other people.”

If you are one that would like to help with a donation or by sewing masks, you can text Cindy Payton at (512) 393-9397. They also have a Venmo account @cindy-payton-2.