There are so many amazing kids and teens in the Stateline area! We are proud to feature kids doing unique, creative, and kind things in our community. We are featuring these amazing kids in our Spectacular Kids series!
All kids have their parents’ permission to be featured on Stateline Kids. If you have a kid doing something amazing in the Stateline area, email us at hello@statelinekids.com.
These Spectacular Kids made masks and mask extenders for the community!
Siblings, Alaina (13 years old), Madison (12 years old), Emalyn (9 years old) and William (6 years old) have spent the last few months making mask extenders and masks for members of our community.
It all started when they heard about the trouble that health care workers were having with masks causing pain or sores after being worn all day.
The siblings started crocheting mask extenders to give to their friends working in healthcare. They added something a little special to show that they cared. “We used heart buttons on our mask extenders to represent ‘Hearts for Healthcare’,” said Madison.
Once they heard that everyone would need to wear masks in public, they took out their sewing machines and their Grandma showed them how to make a few different types of masks.
The three sisters, Alaina, Madison, and Emalyn turned the family’s kitchen into a mask-making station. Their little brother didn’t want to be left out so he started helping sew masks too! After they made a bunch, they gave them out to friends and family. Alaina said, “At first making masks was a little confusing, but after a while, it got easier.”
The more masks they made, the more they heard about others who needed masks. Their dad told them about his employees asking about masks so the kids made a batch for them. Then, Emalyn shared their mask-making adventures during a class Zoom meeting and was asked by her teacher if she could make a few for some teachers. The family found some fun school-themed material and made a bunch to give the teachers at their school. “This way they will have some fun masks to wear if we have to wear masks when we go back to school,” said Emalyn.
When the Illinois mandate for masks in school was released, the kids wanted to pick out new material to start making masks for themselves, friends at school, and teachers.
When they aren’t making masks, the siblings are usually rehearsing and performing for Bonzi Productions or swimming on the Rockford Rays swim team. Since their normal activities are temporarily on hold, they have been doing a lot of hiking, biking, swimming, and playing softball and baseball.
Alaina’s favorite place to go in the Stateline is The Nordlof to perform in plays and the Rockford Public Library. Madison’s favorite place to go in the Stateline is the Swedish American Y to swim. Emalyn’s favorite place to go in the Stateline is Lowden State Park and The Nordlof. William’s favorite place to go in the Stateline is Burpee and the Discovery Center Musem.
How can you make your own mask?
If you’d like to make your own masks at home and have a sewing machine, check out these instructions for how to make a Burda mask and a pleated mask.
If you don’t have a sewing machine, you can also hand sew a mask. The video below will show you how.
