Protecting lives one mask at a time
By Ashleigh Plemper
Farmer Staff Writer
As the coronavirus (COVID-19) continues surging its way into western North Dakota, local Watford City seamstresses recently joined forces to make face masks for hundreds of individuals from local organizations, businesses, and other establishments in an effort to help combat the prolific pandemic. As of April 2, there have been 159 positive cases of the virus in the state, which has resulted in 28 individuals being hospitalized and three deaths.
“There’s been 14 or 15 women who have been sewing like mad,” laughs Vikkie Williams of Watford City Craft & Sew.
When Williams created the Watford City Craft & Sew social media page last fall, she saw it as a way for fellow crafters to hopefully connect with one another and share ideas.
“I knew there had to be other women in Watford City that did crafts and sewed,” Williams says.
And it wasn’t long before Williams became acquainted with a longtime group of local quilters.
“We figured it was time to reach out to our people,” says Kathy Klang of the Prairie Rose Quilters Guild. “And Williams’ craft page was a good outlet.”
As the number of COVID-19 cases have continued to climb, the group of crafters and seamstresses felt compelled to do something more. And that’s when the idea of making masks was spawned.
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