Answering the call

When the COVID-19 pandemic began, the need for masks quickly out-ran supply nationwide. Facing this dilemma, Campbell County Memorial Hospital put out the call for anyone who could sew to come to their aid with well made homemade face coverings – and Moorcroft resident Trudy Klein answered.

“I went online and found the one [mask design] I liked the most and that started it,” she says of a project that has now exceeded an incredible 1000 masks. Though at first it was concentrated healthcare workers, she is also turning her talents to helping local businesses as they re-open.

Klein contacted the Moorcroft Clinic after making and delivering the initial 85 masks to the hospital.

“I thought that if Campbell County needed them, so did Crook County, so I reached out to the clinic and they said they were in desperate need,” she says.

Klein made about 100 for the clinic and then began to think of others who might need them, “I thought, hmmm…”

She started sending the small virus barriers to the beauty salons around town as well the grocery store, then to the rest home in Sundance and she was contacted by “somebody in Newcastle [Weston County] for their rest home”. The clinic and hospital requested more and they, in turn, distributed the safeguards to others in need.

She has been asked to make the face pieces for family and friends in Reno, NV; Florida; and Colorado, as well as at the University of Wyoming (UW). “They’ve just been sent out everywhere,” she says.

It takes a lot of material to make 1000 masks; elastic quickly ran out and became extremely difficult to find, but Klein asked for more from “everybody in Moorcroft” and her request was met.

Even with this assistance, she again ran out, “Then, I bought 300 pair of shoe laces and they went [so] quickly.” She began cutting T-shirts into narrow ribbons for ties. Husband Doug was eventually able to obtain elastic and Klein is again able to elasticize her creations. The couple bought more fabric this weekend.

“Now things are kind of slowing down so I’ll just do them when ever they’re needed [and] I’ll do it until they don’t need them anymore.” Klein proudly states. She adds that she has exceeded 1000 masks for adults and kids at this point.

Klein is already planning for the future, if this virus follows the expectations of some and returns again, she will be ready. She is, right now, stocking up for just such an eventuality.

“I’m going to have enough of everything so that if that happens this fall, then I can just get them done,” she says.