Columbus-area school districts donate thousands of supplies needed to combat COVID-19
While schools are closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, two local school districts have donated masks and other personal protective equipment for healthcare workers and first-responders to use in the fight against COVID-19.
The Muscogee County School District donated the following items Wednesday to the Columbus Emergency Management Division:
- 7,740 gloves
- 1,185 masks
- 620 wipes
- 362 gowns
- 300 shoe covers
- 300 bouffant covers
- 100 caps
- 64 protection kits
- 6 protective blankets
The Harris County School District donated the following items to the Air Evac Lifeteam in Americus:
- 1,050 pairs of gloves
- 762 masks
- 100 protection kits
- 50 gowns
After learning about the nationwide shortage of such equipment, MCSD superintendent David Lewis told the Ledger-Enquirer he conferred with Victoria Thomas, the district’s career, technical and agricultural education director.
Thomas led a districtwide inventory of items that could be used to protect the front-line workers in the medical and public safety fields while students aren’t using them in science labs during the school closure.
Lewis said the CEOs of the two hospital organizations in in the city, Scott Hill of Piedmont Columbus Regional and Melody Trimble of St. Francis, told him they welcomed the offer.
“Muscogee County has supported our school district in so many ways,” Lewis told the L-E in an email, “and if we can contribute in some small way to the health and safety of our medical professionals and the community at-large, we are pleased and proud to do so.”
Lewis also credits MCSD chief operating officer David Goldberg, plant services director Ward Odom and science content specialist Melissa Niemi for helping the effort.
Harris County High School healthcare science teacher Patsy Boykin gathered supplies after hearing from one of her former students, Alana Jernigan, who works as a nurse on the Air Evac Lifeteam. Another nurse on the team also works at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital in Albany, where the equipment is needed as well.
“My students — past, present, and future — are the reason I did this,” Boykin said in HCSD’s news release. “We are teaching our students how to be a part of the community and this is allowing them to see that.”
