Filling needs, near and far
Salvation Army Major Ronda Gilger demonstrates her mask-making process in her studio on Thursday. Gilger sells masks that are used locally, and the proceeds help lift up people in Moldova in eastern Europe.
Courtesy photo
Masks lovingly made by Salvation Army Major Ronda Gilger are seen here displayed on a tree in the Kroc Center. The masks are $10 each. All proceeds support sustainable Salvation Army efforts across Moldova, where Gilger served for three years.
Salvation Army Major Ronda Gilger is seen here with some of the masks she has made to help her community and people in need in Moldova, where she served before being appointed to Coeur d'Alene.
Here in North Idaho and 5,600 miles away in Moldova, eastern Europe, Salvation Army Major Ronda Gilger's heart and hands are hard at work.
Locally, people are wearing her handiwork in the form of 938 fabric face masks she's been making in her spare time since the pandemic struck. She's tweaked a design to ensure the masks are comfortable and breathable.
"I cut them in my kitchen and sew them in my studio, which is my spare bedroom," Gilger said.
She said while at a restaurant recently, she saw some of her work on the faces of people walking by.
"I thought, 'That's my mask!' I know the way they fit, and they look really good too," she said. "I'm always nudging my husband saying, 'You see? You see?' They'll never know, but I know."
In Moldova, the funds from the sales of those masks are supporting 43 sustainable Salvation Army projects to feed and clothe children, educate women and girls to keep them out of the sex trade, provide mobile medical care and more.
"This is a way to help my own community and Moldova,” Gilger said. "There's a lot of things we can't control. Everything is new and it's overwhelming. We’re all human, and all of our lives have been impacted.
"This is something I feel that I can do and I feel like it makes a difference," she said.
Before Ronda and husband Major Don Gilger were appointed to Coeur d'Alene, they served in Moldova for three years.
Moldova struggles with poverty, access to clean water, pay inequality, access to health care, corruption and human trafficking. Because of her experience in Moldova, Ronda set up the Artist's Heart Project, a Salvation Army reserve account without administrative fees so all sales made through this account will benefit the Salvation Army of Moldova, minus nominal bank fees.
Each mask sold for $10 contributes to this local donation account, as well as sales of Ronda's other pieces of art sold through Etsy.
From mask sales alone, Ronda said she just sent $7,200 to this special account.
The masks are on display on a tree in the Kroc Center, 1765 W. Golf Course Road, Coeur d'Alene. Ronda said she'll use festive fabric next — Thanksgiving turkeys and surfing Santas.
She plans to continue to use her artistic talent to create paintings and other crafty items to support the efforts in Moldova.
As for the masks, she's going to keep on sewing.
"As long as they keep disappearing from the tree, I'll keep making them," she said.
Info: www.etsy.com/shop/ArtistsHeartProject or www.kroccda.org
