A pair of volunteers with the NESPCA are making and selling masks in support of the animal shelter. (Facebook/Bonnie Cross)

By Angie Rolheiser

Masks for NESPCA

Pair of volunteers, making and selling face masks in support of North East SPCA

Aug 31, 2020 | 2:20 PM

A pair of volunteers with the North East SPCA have been able to bring in several thousand dollars for the local animal shelter through sales of face masks.

Johanna Hnatuik does the sewing while Bonnie Cross does the selling and distributing.

At first, the goal was to donate $500 to the SPCA but they have surpassed that.

“We are at over $8,000 because one of the places that is also selling them for us only has about three left so that puts us at over that $8,000 mark,” Hnatuik said.

Hnatuik started by making masks for her neighbour who is a nurse and needed masks for work due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Hnatuik then made a few more masks for some others in healthcare and was selling for them for $5 a mask.

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She made about 30 masks in total before she began making them available to the public for $10 a mask. The funds brought in through the mask sales will go towards the Harry and Eve Vickar Shelter in Melfort.

“All of the money is going to the SPCA, we aren’t taking anything except to get supplies,” Hnatuik said. “There have also been people making donations of fabric too.”

Some of the donations have been anonymous according to Hnatuik who had a bag of spools of thread and $20 left hanging on her door knob.

Sales have increased significantly since the Saskatchewan government announced mandatory masks in school from students grade four and up.

“This week alone I sold 150 youth and kids masks for kids starting school,” Cross said. “Some parents are in a panic because of some classes and students requiring masks.”

(Facebook/Bonnie Cross)

The two are keeping up fairly well with the demand but they have seen a bit of a back log.

“We are having a bit of a hard time keeping up right now actually but when there is a lot of orders, Johanna just puts her head down and sews and sews all day long,” Cross said.

When sales first began, people would just take what was available but Cross said some have started asking for certain fabric.

Call or text Cross with orders of face masks at 306.921.4871.

The masks are also available at Miller Market, Prairie North Coop lumber, Cindy’s Independent, RJ’s Urban Garden in Melfort and Tec Water in Tisdale. When supply has been able to replenish, the two will look at getting them inside somewhere in Nipawin as well.

All masks are individually sterilized and bagged to keep everyone safe.

Face masks are available for $10 in support of the NESPCA. (Facebook/Bonnie Cross)

The two are simply running the fundraiser out of passion.

“We both absolutely love animals and we both volunteer for the SPCA and we just love volunteering and helping,” Cross said.

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angie.rolheiser@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @Angie_Rolheiser