Guest post: Mask and Miracle Makers

Virginia Solomon is a permculture elder and one of the PA Board of Directors and fundraising team volunteers. In her ‘spare time’ she has also been spearheading the ‘PA Face mask project’. In this role she has been leading a team of volunteers to make and sell resuable facemasks to raise funds for PA, while reducing waste and enacting the three permaculture ethics. Read more in her guest blog below.

 

“When Elise, fellow PA member and fundraising volunteer, suggested we make face masks to raise money for Permaculture Australia, I thought it would be hard to mobilise enough people and resources at short notice. However we decided to give it a go – and what a great success it has been!

 

I approached our local Eltham Farmers Market to ask if they would give me a little bit of table space the following Sunday and maybe leave it with an honesty box. They agreed, saying ‘I don’t think you will sell many, but that sounds fine as a service to our community’.

The next day the Victoria Premier announced that mask wearing would be mandatory outside the home. Suddenly interest ramped up and we started making in earnest. We managed to make 70 masks for the market on that Sunday, and sold out within an hour! The following week we sold several hundred, as well as launching an on-line pop-up shop for postal orders.

 

Using the positive power of social media, calls for additional volunteers to cut and sew fabric were answered, and the team grew! This project could not have been achieved without a village involved. An example of community action in a new contactless environment. We used letterboxes and drop off points to create a system of cutters, pressers, sewers, finishers, packers and marketers. A fabulous team effort!

 

A *huge* thank you to the MMM Team (Mask and Miracle Makers) for all of your fantastic work including Sally, Doris, Fiona, Elise, Sinead, Nikki, Viv, Ros, Rob, Sara, Phil, Trish, Lyall, Lindsay, Adel, Stephen and Mia (all pictured below). A huge thank you also to Eltham Farmers Market for their support and promotion too.

How can I purchase a mask (or three)?

The masks are available for purchase here with 100% of profits donated to Permaculture Australia in line with the principle: Produce No Waste. Financial members of Permaculture Australia and Permaculture Victoria receive a 10% discount as one of their member benefits.

Tell me more about the masks?

Our masks are triple layer, made from all new materials (100% cotton outers, non-woven filter layer) and include a nose wire as well. They use a tie system like a surgical mask which is much more comfortable than elastic – and the ties are tree tie, so use them to tie up your tomatoes when you no longer need a mask!

 

Thanks for your support to Permaculture Australia and supporting our work in Earth Care, People Care and Fair Share, as well as working to reduce single use plastic.