During this time of social distancing and increased hygiene, face coverings have become an essential item to wear in the battle against the Coronavirus Disease 2019 pandemic.

Using their sewing skills, military spouses and their families at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, are doing their part to manufacture cloth face coverings.

 

 

Armed with needle and thread: Robins spouses join fight against COVID-19 1 of 7

ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. – Heidi Harbuck, a Team Robins spouse, and her daughter share the sewing duties as they create face coverings for members of Team Robins and the local community. Spouses across Robins have teamed up creating over 5,000 masks for use during the COVID-19 pandemic. (courtesy photo)

Download Image Image Details

Armed with needle and thread: Robins spouses join fight against COVID-19 2 of 7

ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. – Heather Lawrence and Brandy Seifert, both Robins key spouses and the founders of Robins Mask Makers, cut out patterns for their next batch of face coverings. The Robins Mask Makers are responsible for making over 5,000 face coverings for use by members of Team Robins and the local community. (U.S. Air Force photo by Roland Leach)

Download Image Image Details

Armed with needle and thread: Robins spouses join fight against COVID-19 3 of 7

ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. – Nicole Ewens, 461st Aircraft Maintenance Squadron spouse, has joined the fight against COVID-19 by creating face coverings for members of Team Robins and the community. Robins Air Force Base spouses collaborated on a mask making project that has created thousands of masks and face coverings to ensure Robins can carry on its missions in spite of COVID-19. (courtesy photo)

Download Image Image Details

Armed with needle and thread: Robins spouses join fight against COVID-19 4 of 7

ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. – Karen Singleton, 78th Force Support Squadron Non-Appropriated Funds accounting technician and Team Robins spouse, has used her extra time while sheltering in-place to make and donate over 120 face coverings. (courtesy photo)

Download Image Image Details

Armed with needle and thread: Robins spouses join fight against COVID-19 5 of 7

ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. – Gwen Mueller, an Air Force Reserve Command spouse, makes face coverings for personnel at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia. She has fashioned over a hundred coverings so far and will continue to create face coverings for as long as her machines work. (courtesy photo)

Download Image Image Details

Armed with needle and thread: Robins spouses join fight against COVID-19 6 of 7

ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. - Glenda Jackson, mother of Robins key spouse Brandy Seifert, uses her sewing skills to create more face coverings for Team Robins. As part of the Robins Mask Makers group, she has helped to contribute to over 5,000 masks being made. (U.S. Air Force photo by Roland Leach)

Download Image Image Details

Armed with needle and thread: Robins spouses join fight against COVID-19 7 of 7

ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- Heather Lawrence, a Team Robins spouse, and her daughter sew together face coverings to help in the fight against COVID-19. The Robins Mask Makers are responsible for making over 5,000 face coverings for use by members of Team Robins and the local community.

Download Image Image Details

Once the announcement was made that all individuals on government property, installations and facilities are required to wear cloth face coverings when social distancing cannot be maintained, the mass production began and thousands of the masks were made.

Brandy Seifert, 605th Test & Evaluation Squadron Det. 2 key spouse said, “The 36 people who are sewing are producing about 875 masks a week.”

Her group, the Robins Mask Makers have produced over 5,000 masks so far.

“As soon as “COVID” was a word, I Googled how to help during this crisis,” said Gwen Mueller, Air Force Reserve Command spouse at Robins. “The ‘million mask challenge’ popped up, and I was all in.”

Face coverings were given to medical and first responders as well as military members and their families. In public areas and work centers, these face coverings help to contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus when six feet of distance cannot be maintained.

Karen Singleton, 78th Force Support Squadron Non-Appropriated Funds accounting technician and Team Robins spouse, has used her extra time while sheltering in-place to make and donate over 120 face coverings.

In the 1940’s, “Rosie the Riveters” worked on aircraft, tanks and other equipment to support the troops fighting overseas. These modern day “Rosies” are carrying on that tradition to help our military men and women safely carry out their mission.

“Many spouses have stepped up and are using our sewing skills to protect not only our guys at home, but also our members on deployment.” said Heather Lawrence, 330th Combat Training Squadron key spouse.

As the sewing machines across Robins go into full production, much of the fabric and materials is donated by base organizations and out-of- pocket funding.

These Team Robins spouses don’t plan on stopping their support any time soon.

“I’ve sewn over 100 as of April 10, and have another 100 and fabric coming to sew as long as my machines – and sanity – hold,” said Mueller.