A pair of local boutique owners currently struggling to get online business in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic are joining up to create hundreds of masks every week for essential workers across South Central Pennsylvania.
Melissa Miller of Hummelstown, owner and operator of MadeToKeep.com, and Miranda Viehman of Mechanicsburg, owner of Hello Gorgeous Boutiques in Camp Hill are running a small, but mighty operation. The two of them along with their families, made 200 cloth masks last week and donated them across the region. Among the donation recipients include Penn State Health, Pinnacle Osteopathic, Rossmoyne Animal Hospital, and Brandywine Living Nursing Homes.
This week, they received a request for 500 masks, all for businesses and health care centers which have to stay open amid Governor Wolf's statewide stay-at-home order.
"Seeing that we’re able to help people feel safe, help their families feel safe, and their coworkers feel safe, it's a great feeling to have that accomplished," Miller said.
Miller and Viehman are constantly looking for volunteer sewers and fabric donations. You can find out how to donate through their Facebook page, called the Massive Mask Make. They also have a GoFundMe page where they're collecting donations to buy more fabric to make the masks.
Lastly, the masks they are making are available for purchase. A portion of the mask proceeds will go towards buying more fabric for future masks.