SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany -- Within the last few weeks, a major change in Spangdahlem Air Base’s safety protocol and German safety laws is the addition of mandatory face masks in busy areas to help stop the spread of COVID-19.
Saber Nation is doing its part to help get masks to local residents.
This past week, volunteers from the base teamed up with the Deutsches Rotes Kreuz, or German Red Cross, in Bitburg, Germany to donate over 500 face masks to communities in order to help them stay safe during the pandemic.
“We have had almost a dozen Spangdahlem spouses come together to make masks, two dozen volunteers from the 726th Air Mobility Squadron learn to sew, make patterns, and cut, as well as several German spouses bring supplies for masks,” said Heather Fancher, volunteer mask production coordinator. “The process and seeing these people come together and help has been an amazing thing to watch.”
The masks created are to help support the local communities and make sure that people are being as safe as they can when visiting essential places within the community; because of this, the need for masks are very necessary.
“There was a sort of panic raising in myself when I realized how much people would need masks during this pandemic,” said Fancher.
Having neither a sewing machine nor the ability to sew, Fancher believed she would not be the only person in this predicament, and that there would eventually be a huge need for masks both on base and in the local communities.
The many volunteers participating in making and donating these masks are very appreciated by the Red Cross and recipients.
“Spangdahlem AB has made a way for us to provide several masks to the families that we, as the Red Cross, take care of,” said Nina Fouts, Red Cross volunteer and youth operations coordinator. “We really appreciate all of the hard work and effort Spangdahlem AB has done to help us supply our German citizens with masks, and help them be safer during this time.”
Saber Nation plans to continue this effort and keep producing masks for local communities and base members.
“None of this would be possible on any level without the help of our volunteers; it is with their effort and hard work that any of this is possible,” said Fancher.
The volunteers have produced over 3,000 masks to date and will continue making masks and providing a way for people to be safer during the COVID-19 pandemic.