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Making masks in a time of need
goebel masks
Nadine Goebel on her machine.

DARLINGTON - Nadine & Danny Goebel of Darlington and Tamae Morrison of Monroe have been keeping themselves busy during the Covid-19 quarantine by making masks for people and businesses wanting to protect themselves and others.

Nadine explained, “The team consists of husband Danny - who does the ironing and inserts the ties into the masks; Tamae – who cuts fabric and sews the ties and I do the cutting of fabric and sew the masks.”

Growing up on a farm Nadine learned how to sew by patching jeans.

“In those days you didn’t just throw away jeans and buy new. I’ve always found sewing to be self-rewarding and I continue to sew to this day as a part-time business,” Nadine said.

The group averages 25 masks a day and has made over 500 masks thus far. They have been making masks for several individuals as well as a factory in Green County, a cheese packaging plant in Lafayette County, and a nursing home in St. Paul, Minn.  The masks have been mailed as far away as Spooner; Dubuque, Iowa; South Beloit, Ill. and many local individuals. 

            The masks are always put in a new baggie and if they’re not mailed, they are picked up in a tote outside the house that is cleaned in between each use.  Each baggie has a label on it that says: ‘The masks may not be pretty, they may not be perfect but, they will do their part to help protect you and others as well. Note: These masks should be washed once you receive them. Thank you for what you are doing to keep the community safe.’

  Nadine said, “All the fabric is 100% cotton and is washed before we cut the mask pattern.  We wash our hands multiple times throughout the day. I am a member of the Wisconsin Warrior Mask Facebook page. We have filled orders from there and I also got my pattern from that group.”

The masks are a pleated cloth mask, which are similar to the masks you receive when you go to a healthcare facility.  All of the masks that are made have a pocket to insert a filter if the individual wishes.  The masks that are made for ‘Lafayette County 16,000+ Challenge’ have the interfacing pocket for a filter, many use a coffee filter.

Nadine said, “ I have used a lot of my fabric stash as well as received fabric donations from family and friends.  We have received monetary donations that we have used to purchase fabric, wire, baggies, postage, etc. We are very grateful for all those who have donated in anyway.  We do not charge for the masks.”