As the coronavirus pandemic continues, wearing a mask has become a recommended part of going outside. Andria Niles and her business, The Sparkly Elephant Sewing Lounge, have started a network of volunteers who make masks.

As of April 17, the Sparkly Elephant Mask Making Team has made and donated over 6,000 masks, which are sent to individuals or groups who need them, free of charge.

“It’s been pretty intense,” Niles said. “People email us and we add them to a spreadsheet, and then as people donate the masks to us we donate them as fast as we can to the people on that list.”

Niles said the mask donation network began shortly after schools closed for spring break in March. A woman who had been making masks independently approached her asking if Niles and the store could help in some way.

“I said, 'Yes, of course, let’s use our shop instead of having strangers come to your front door,'” Niles said. “Then another girl reached out, and so we said, 'Let’s come together and have a place where people can drop off masks and we can safely package them and send them out.'”

Local police, military units, group homes, nursing homes and healthcare professionals have all received masks from The Sparkly Elephant. While most masks can be made fairly standard with 100% cotton, Niles said that some groups like those in health care require more specialized masks with more layers.

“Quilters and sewers have a lot of fabric so this is a good time to use what they might never have used, but it also give older people or those who live alone a focus and something meaningful in the community,” Niles said.

Niles said she finds in times like these, the best in people comes out.

“We’ve had so many people volunteer with their time, effort and supplies,” Niles said. “It’s been amazing and I’m really proud of our community.”

To contact The Sparkly Elephant, email [email protected].