It was a beautiful day, Gayla Swisher and Donna Nelson had their sewing machines with them and they wanted to help as the coronavirus pandemic swept across the country.

So, they watched a video on how to sew cloth masks and got to work. During a recent camping trip to Kanopolis Lake, the Marquette and Lindsborg-area women produced 57 masks for distribution to nursing homes and individuals in need of protective gear.

The cotton masks have pockets for flannel or knit filters.

“It was our way of contributing a little bit,” Swisher said in a telephone interview..

The women had enough materials on hand to make the masks. Nelson is the former, long-time owner of the Stitchery Shop in Lindsborg. Swisher was taught to sew by her mother.

The two returned home this past week; however, Swisher said they have enough material to keep sewing.