Mask fashion, fatigue, politics in Gig Harbor

On the sunny afternoon last week, Gig Harbor residents Sheila and Joey McNelis lunched at the Harbor General Store with friends Danielle Valois and Jack Cassidy, who were visiting from Minnesota. Though they took them off to eat, the foursome had masks at the ready.

This has become a common scene in Gig Harbor, where most stores have signs requiring patrons to don a mask before entering. The Gateway caught up with Gig Harbor residents and visitors to see how they’re feeling about mask-wearing, weeks into a deadly summer.

Tired of masks but still wearing them

“It’s not fun or enjoyable, but if it allows us to be out doing what we want to do, then we’re totally willing to do it,” Joey McNelis said. His wife Sheila McNelis agreed, saying she supports mask-wearing because of data showing that it reduces the spread of the coronavirus.

Kevin Palmer and his husband Shane Cozwith of Seattle feel similarly. They spent August 6, the day after their wedding, in Gig Harbor. The Gateway talked to the newlyweds as they sat down for lunch at Kelly’s Cafe.

“We are getting tired of having to make sure that we always have a mask with us, and wear it, constantly wear it, and everything,” Palmer said. “But we also know that it is a necessity, that it needs to be done to make sure that we are kept safe and not take the chance of spreading anything that we may end up getting.”

Cozwith agrees. “I’m definitely sick of having to wear ‘em, but I’m going to go everywhere with one,” he said.

Omar Morales, general manager of Kelly’s Cafe, supports mask-wearing, though he says it gets hot and uncomfortable when he’s working in the restaurant. He says working in the restaurant industry during the coronavirus pandemic has been a challenge.

“We’re in the industry to make a living,” he said. “We gotta do what we gotta do. It does suck. It’s not fun. But it’s for the real well-being of everybody.”

Morales has three children and is careful to shower and change clothes after coming home from work. He also wears masks when he’s not at work and says he thinks they keep him and other people safe.

‘Something wild, something crazy’

“Honestly, it’s kind of become a habit,” Sheila McNelis said of wearing masks. “It’s like another accessory.” Her pale pink mask matched her shirt. She says she’s gotten compliments on this particular mask.

Joey McNelis, a pilot for Alaska Airlines, said his company distributed masks to employees to match their uniforms. He says that finding a comfortable mask has been key for him, now that he needs to wear them for longer periods of time.

Other people have also found ways to make the best of mask-wearing. Palmer wore a Zelda-themed mask, reflecting his love of video games.

“I figure if you have to go out wearing a mask, might as well wear something that has a statement or that looks nice,” he said. “Something wild, something crazy, something different.”

Cozwith, who said his mask was made by Levi’s, generally prefers ones without a design. For their wedding, though, Cozwith and Palmer wore matching tuxedo-print masks that they bought from Etsy.

A political statement? Maybe.

Some people say they think wearing masks has become political, but others aren’t sure.

“Not wearing it has turned into a little bit of a statement, unfortunately, but I don’t think it’s too much of a political statement as it’s just the type of person that might be a little oppositional to anything,” Joey McNelis said.

Connie Nagel of Gig Harbor thinks it’s unfortunate that mask-wearing has become political. “I just think it’s something that you do to be respectful of others and maybe potentially protect yourself as well,” she said. She sees masks as a precautionary measure to keep everyone safe. She and her son, 16-year-old Nathaniel Nagel, had masks stashed away while they ate at the Harbor General Store.

Nathaniel Nagel is also on board with mask-wearing. An incoming sophomore at Gig Harbor High School, he says he reminds his friends to wear masks when they’re in public spaces.

Barb Morton of Gig Harbor compared wearing masks to driving with a license and wearing a seatbelt. She says people have the choice to break the rules, but she and her family wear masks. “There’s a lot of things we have to do that we don’t necessarily prefer, but it keeps everybody safe,” she said.

That’s a point made by Mayor Kit Kuhn in his streaming video last Friday, when he repeated a plea for Gig Harbor residents to wear masks.

“I feel the majority of people are doing a good job wearing their masks,” he said. “Yet I still see people of all ages walking around without masks. It’s discouraging.”

Wearing a mask is a “very small price to pay to get things back to normal,” the mayor added.

A local vendor weighs in

Jeanne Forderer and her husband run Cottage in the Woods, selling handmade tote bags and pillows. This year, they pivoted to making masks, too. Since many local art fairs are canceled, the Forderers, who live on the Key Peninsula, have been setting up shop at farmers’ markets, including the one in Gig Harbor.

Forderer says she’s seen high demand for reusable masks. Initially, she says two-layer masks were the most popular. Her three-layer mask is also a bestseller.

Forderer offers many prints, from flowers and abstract designs to local sports team-themed. Her Seattle skyline mask is one of her most popular.

“Along with, of course, the Seahawks mask and the Mariners mask,” she said. She’s also sold over 79 Sounders masks on her Etsy page, made using a rare bolt of printed fabric her daughter found.

Forderer said that while her masks aren’t medical-grade, she believes they can help reduce the spread of COVID-19.

“It offers washability and it offers a great amount of protection,” she said. “It’s really wonderful to know that we’re helping people.”

Miriam Franciso is a summer intern reporter. Reach her at miriam.francisco@thenewstribune.com