Protective gowns that will be used by patients, guests and health care workers are still needed at nursing homes and other care facilities across the state.

And that’s why Iowa Central Community College and the Fort Dodge Correctional Facility are hoping to make one more push in the effort to recruit volunteers from the community to sew up gowns and return them to the college.

The college began distributing the gowns to volunteers on April 13.

Since that time at least 3,000 sheets of fabric have been sent out, according to Jim Kersten, Iowa Central vice president of external relations and government affairs.

He said 1,500 have been returned and cleaned. Another 300 have been returned and will be cleaned this weekend at UnityPoint Health — Trinity Regional Medical Center.

But Kersten said the project has slowed down considerably from when it started.

“Today we only gave out six bags,” Kersten said on Friday. “We just want to give one last reminder to pick up bags of garment material because we will probably end this next Friday.”

Kersten said the last day volunteers will be able to pick up the gowns will be Monday, from 9 a.m. to noon.

The gowns can be picked up at the Career Education Building/Recreation Center on the Iowa Central Community College main campus using a drive-thru system.

Each bag will have 10 sheets of fabric in them with directions on how to sew the gowns. The volunteer would then take the bag home and return the bag with 12 completed gowns. The hospital will then wash and sanitize the gowns in its industrial laundry. Then the gowns will be transported by Iowa Prison Industries to Camp Dodge in Des Moines for statewide distribution by the Iowa National Guard.

Wednesday and Thursday will be open for drop-off only from 9 a.m. to noon at the college.

The last day for drop off will be Friday, from 9 a.m. to noon.

Gowns can be dropped off in the same location they are picked up at.

“If it picks up again we might modify that, but at this point it has really slowed down,” Kersten said.

The goal was to distribute 200 to 500 gowns a day, Kersten said.

“Those that are sewing realize it’s a bigger job than they thought,” Kersten said. “These are heavy duty material. The goal is to make as many as we can, but we can only make as many as the volunteers help us complete.

“We very much appreciate the support and availability for our volunteer sewers to come out to Iowa Central to take home and sew them and bring them back.”

Kersten said the state Emergency Operations Center paid for the materials for the gowns.

“They are using a portion of federal disaster relief funding to pay for the gowns and related PPE to get gowns into hands of nursing homes and hospitals,” Kersten said.

Anyone with questions can call Jim Kersten at 515-576-7201. Ask the operator to transfer to Kersten’s cell phone.