Solving face mask discomfort

By Dianne Girmus
The Nebraska Signal

In times of despair, we are thankful for those who do good and offer hope, for they uplift the heavy heart and make the spirit soar.
There are two amazing area-boys who have worked diligently to bring joy and add comfort to many in the current COVID-19 battle. The good friends, who like to make things and help others, both received 3-D printers recently, so they decided to seize an opportunity and put them to good use.
3-D printing is a process of making three-dimensional solid objects from a digital file. The creation of a 3-D printed object is achieved by using additive processes. It enables one to produce complex shapes using less material than traditional manufacturing methods.
Jasper Stutzman of Ohiowa was checking out Facebook one day when he found a post that caught his eye.
Stutzman, 14, said, “The project was called Making Ear Protector Hooks with a 3-D printer, with its purpose being the prevention of ear strain from masks.”
He decided to give it a try and started making the protector hoops. His father, Jim Stutzman of Lazy Horse Brewing & Winery, placed the information on their facility’s Facebook page stating they would send hoops upon request. After finding out they were in demand, he called his friend Cooper Schelkopf, 13, of Geneva the next day for help—Cooper agreeing to do so. Approximately a thousand ear protector hooks were made that work in conjunction with the protective face masks needed today for protection from the novel coronavirus.