Sandy Goodwin-Jette, of Hudson, sews a protective mask that will be donated to local hospitals or alternative care sites. Volunteers are being sought to help with the project; the goal being 1,000 masks finished by Friday. Courtesy photo

NASHUA – Coordinators of a hastily-assembled group of volunteers eager to do their part in the fight against the COVID-19 virus are putting out a call for more help with sewing protective masks, as they ramp up production this week.

Yvonne Dunetz, one of the coordinators, said that as of Tuesday evening she had 32 packages each containing the “ingredients” for 25 cloth protective masks ready and waiting for volunteer sewers.

“It’s been a hectic couple of weeks,” Dunetz said of the project, which initially drew a handful of folks willing to collect, wash, iron and trim to size pieces of cloth, but has since grown into a widespread effort involving volunteers from most every community in Greater Nashua.

Anyone interested in pitching in, especially for sewing, can contact Dunetz at 886-4200.

“Our goal is to make well over 1,000 masks by Friday,” Dunetz said. She said they are being delivered to both hospitals and, if needed, to the alternative care site that members of the National Guard have set up at Nashua High School South.

They are rushing to get as many done as possible by Friday in advance of the expected surge in cases, which officials estimate will be felt between mid-April and early May.

She estimated that the team, as of Tuesday, had delivered roughly 400 masks to the hospitals.

Now that most all the material has been trimmed to size, Dunetz said, she told the so-called “cutters” they would be “redeployed” to where the need was.

Dunetz said she has come to call the band of volunteers “community angels.” Among them are Brookline resident Carol Smith, whom Dunetz called “our expert” and who has been more than happy to share her expertise in the art of sewing.

Another is Alec’s Shoes owner John Koutsos, who, Dunetz said, donated countless shoelaces with elastic-like qualities.

She went to Koutsos, she said, when she learned she wasn’t able to get elastic bands for the masks until the end of May.

“It’s amazing,” Dunetz said of the response to the project. “The community is phenomenal.”

Dean Shalhoup may be reached at 594-1256 or dshalhoup@nashuatelegraph.com.