Claremore Woman Making Masks From Home For HIV Community

Claremore resident Penny Frutch had been monitoring COVID-19 since it first originated in China.

“I can see it would probably come here," Fruth said. 

Fruth said she started to make her own masks before it came here.

"A lot of it is ironing because I make a binding for the masks and you have to iron those strips of fabric," Fruth said. 

It takes about 30 minutes for Fruth to make each one. The masks are made from 100 percent cotton which allows it to be tightly weaved. 

“When I first started, they kind of blew me off, like I was overacting," Fruth said. "But I just kept at it, and pretty soon, they caught up with me."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has changed their policy and are now advising everyone, whether or not they have symptoms of COVID-19, to cover their face with a mask or cloth.

The CDC also recommends taking these measures in places where people gather such as grocery stores and public transportation and ride-shares.

Fruth has been able to give away about 60 masks so far. She hopes everyone will take this virus seriously and cover up.

“I’m old enough to see how quickly I can see things like this can go down," Fruth said. "Now that I’m old, I want these young ones to be safe.”

Fruth will be making masks for as long as she needs to until things calm down. If you’d like one of her masks, you can contact the Equality Center in downtown Tulsa.