PORT TOWNSEND — A 10-year-old Chimacum girl has won first prize in a mask-making contest.
As the top winner in the JeffcoCARES Maskie contest, Chloe Bitzer wins a trophy, a gift certificate and bragging rights.
The Chamber of Jefferson County and JeffcoCARES hosted the competition. The contest began in June, after county Health Officer Dr. Tom Locke issued a directive that all should wear face masks. Chamber staff and board members selected weekly winners as well as the first place winner.
“Even though she competed against people far older than herself, Chloe demonstrated creativity and ingenuity in her submission,” a press release said. “Utilizing her passion for art and taking inspiration from a school lesson on mealworms transforming into beetles, Chloe crafted a truly unique beetle-themed mask design.”
The mask is made of cardboard parts covered with hundreds of beads attached with hot-glue. The mask then was painted red with finishing touches spray-painted in black.
The Craft Girl, as her mother Carmen calls her, has been crafting for a long time, the chamber said in the press release.
Like her mother, she has her own crafting space at home where she works with materials including clay and beads. Recently, she learned to sew on a sewing machine.
An avid reader, Chloe has missed school and her friends and teachers since in-person learning was closed in March, but her pets — two birds, three dogs, 21 chickens, a lizard and a frog — keep her company, the release said.
“People used to stay home a lot and now that they are told to stay home, they want to go out,” Chloe is quoted as saying.
Her solution for using time constructively during the COVID-19 pandemic: “Clean your house.”
The Maskie contest was conceptualized as a part of the JeffcoCARES program inspired and supported by PT Wearable Art and Jefferson Community Foundation’s Fund for Women & Girls.
JeffcoCARES is a commitment pledge from business owners, employees, and visitors alike to keep the focus on community wellness. To see details of the pledge, go to JeffcoCARES.com.
