BROWNSTOWN, Ind. (WDRB) – Volunteers in Jackson County are making face masks for the community. And the women behind the sewing machines are also behind bars.
Jackson County Jail Sgt. Tami Baxter started sewing masks on her own when the pandemic hit. And it gave her the idea for a way to give back to the community.
“This is something that we have talked about in the past, letting the inmates learn a new skill. And this was the perfect opportunity to start that,” said Baxter.
Minimum security, female inmates volunteered last week to sew masks. Baxter taught the women how to sew, cut patterns, iron and hand stitch. It took some practice, but now the women have an assembly line and a routine.
Jodi Messer, one of the inmates, said she knew how to sew by hand, but had no idea how to work a sewing machine before Baxter taught her.
“Sgt. Tammy is amazing,” Messer said. “Obviously with starting out, we’re going to make some errors. She’s always there to say, ‘Hey, it can be fixed. This is how you can fix it.’ And at first it’s kind of difficult, it’s kind of intimidating. But the more and more you do it, the more and more you get it.”
Messer called it a blessing to be able to learn a new skill and do good for others from behind bars.
“It gives you a better morale,” she said. “It gives you something to look forward to. And we feel like we’re useful. We feel like we’re doing something that’s going to help.”
So far the inmates have made 150 masks. Some of the them, made out of old inmate uniforms, will remain in the jail for inmates. But the majority is being donated to the community, including public safety workers, medical workers and gas station clerks.
All the sewing machines, fabric, and supplies have been donated to the jail. Baxter and the inmates said they are thankful for all the donations.
The masks might not be perfect, but the ladies are proud of their work.
“You’re going to notice some errors,” Messer said. "... Just like us, we’ve made mistakes. But we’re making them with love. "We’re making them with kindness. And we’re making them to protect our mothers, to protect our children, to protect our grandparents, to protect those out there doing a service for us. And we thank you.”
You can support the program by calling the sheriff’s office, at 812-358-2141.
Baxter said the jail could use thread and elastic most.
The jail staffers hope that once the need for masks declines, the inmates can use the skills on other projects, such as mending jail uniforms.
Messer said she looks forward to the challenge and that by helping others, the inmates also are helping themselves.
“I can’t wait to see what else I can do now," she said. "We have hidden talents that we didn’t know about, and this is allow us to see them."
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