A granddaughter/grandmother duo making, donating masks

As the nation started to encourage face mask use and a shortage arose, many chose to start making them in their homes. When Joan Guinn's granddaughter started being home from school in Ankeny, the duo decided to do just that.

Guinn's 14-year-old granddaughter Caroline Walker is at-risk due to an open heart surgery when she was younger.

Walker has always helped out when she can, Guinn said. Walker's mother bought her a sewing machine and she asked Guinn about making masks.

Because Guinn makes quilts and had extra fabric, the two started to video chat and make masks together. Guinn said it took a little while to receive the elastic for the masks because of the high demand. But once the supplies were in order, Guinn learned how to make the masks from a online step-by-step instruction sent by her daughter, and taught her granddaughter over video.

The pair has made around 400 or 500 masks. Guinn makes a few every day and sends them to her granddaughter around once a week.

A few of the mask have been given to people around the community by Guinn, but the rest have been sent back to her granddaughter and donated to places such as UnityPoint Health, Children and Families of Iowa, a nursing home, Easterseals and more.

Caroline's other grandmother was 'tickled” about it and decided to donate money for them to buy more fabric.

'I just like to sew and it was fun to play with Caroline,” Guinn said.