By Mary Sawyer
Carmen's Style Shoppe is known for the latest in women's fashion wear. Since the COVID-19 epidemic, the shoppe provides face masks to those who need them.
Carmen Bruning has worked at the Style Shoppe for more than 50 years. Owners of the Style Shoppe, Lloyd and Mildred Maxwell, hired Carmen Bruening as a seamstress and manager of their material and notions department in 1967. Carmen was the store's go-to person for alterations and helping people with their sewing needs.
In 1974, she and her husband, Gene, purchased the store and renamed it Carmen's Style Shoppe. Gene remodeled the second floor of the store making it into their family home.
At the end of March when the restrictions such as social distancing and closing nonessential businesses, Carmen had to lock her doors for the first time in her career. What was she going to do? Carmen can not sit still for long. She said to herself, "You know what? I can start sewing for people again!" And that she did.
She still had some material left from when the store sold fabric and notions. She got out her Elna sewing machine and started sewing up masks for the hospital staff. The quilters organization had made most of the masks and Carmen helped out to finish the project.
Then using the sewing pattern provided by Mary Kahldahl for the hospital masks, Carmen began making masks for her family and people who asked for them. When the word got out about her mask project,people generously donated fabric and elastic. Mary Ann Bates, Carmen's co-worker for many years, donated elastic and material to make cute children's masks. Teresa Sullivan and Barb Stutzman donated elastic. And then there are the many generous people who anonymously donated fabric and elastic. She wants everyone to know she appreciates their help with this project.
When her elastic was in short supply, Carmen found a way to divide the wider elastic into two pieces making it go farther. One batch of donated elastic was 1 1/4 wide with a drawstring in the center. She was able to make three lengths of elastic for masks with that. However, she can use more elastic.
With her golfing material, she made masks for her son and his family in Colorado. He just happens to manage a golf course. She has also shipped masks to friends in Seward. Then there are the masks she makes for the people in the community. Once she finishes an order, she bags them and places them on the bench in the store's entryway for pick up.
Carmen is on a mission. She uses her professional sewing skills and time making masks as a way to keep herself busy since the store is closed. By donating all of the masks, she can help the community during this difficult time. In one day she stitched up 25 masks.
Carmen said she is just one of the many people in the community making masks and giving back to the community throughout this time of uncertainty. She wants to acknowledge the many other people besides her who are doing their part to help out. She said people are great! All of the thank yous and good messages about her masks make her blush and encourages her to sew up masks even faster.
"We are better together, as we say. Our community has been through may setbacks but I am confident we will endure all of this," said Carmen. Carmen is proud of the community and how people are working together to keep the community safe and healthy. "I hope to see everyone soon -Live!" she said.
She still has elastic and fabric so if you would like a mask, you can call her between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. with your request at 402-879-3721. Leave a message with a phone number if she doesn't answer. Carmen will return your call. The masks are donated to help everyone stay safe.
Social distancing is for the birds. While interviewing Carmen, we were standing six feet apart when a bird flew over us. Plop! I felt something hit the top of my shoe. You guessed it. A bird passing by decided to unload and my shoe took a direct hit. So much for social distancing.
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