Fernie local, Mary Weselake has been busy this year, sewing masks to raise money for Angel Flight East Kootenay.
“I’ve just passed 1,600,” said Mary, whose son, Todd Weselake is a co-founder and pilot with Angel Flight.
“I was trying to think of something that would be a good fundraiser for Angel Flight – something that everybody needed, and I thought well, lets try masks, and it took off.”
Mary said it takes her about 20 minutes to make a mask – so in 2020 she would have spent over 22 days worth of time making the 1,600 masks. Quite an effort.
An avid sewer already, Mary said focusing her attention on making masks “seemed like a good thing to do” in 2020. “You can’t have too many right now.”
A few call-outs for materials to make masks have been put out on social media, and Mary said the community had been incredibly supportive in providing her with fabric (of which she has gone through metres and metres), and donating generously when buying a mask.
“I think everything has just been straight donations,” she said, explaining that she might have spent $3 or so on thread.
Masks made by Mary are available at nine locations in the Elk Valley – Kevin’s Your Independent Grocer, the Fernie Fox Hotel, Big Bang Bagels, Stephanie’s Glass, Polar Peak, Mugshots CIBC, Buds and Blooms (Sparwood), and directly from Mary herself.
As of December 31, Mary’s efforts to raise funds for Angel Flight has netted over $8,000 for the airborne charity, which provides a lift to Kelowna for those in need of medical care.
READ MORE: Angel Flight keeps busy through 2020
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