During this pandemic, many people are worried about their own safety by keeping safe distances, washing hands and covering sneezes. It is also important to think about the safety of others, especially those who are deemed essential during this time like doctors, nurses and first responders.

To help those who help others, Chemical Health and Safety Coordinator Kara Barnett from the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry decided to start collecting donations to give to the Portage County Emergency Management Agency.

“It was awesome honestly. I wasn’t expecting the amount of donations we were going to receive and all of the different places it would come from,” Barnett said.

The projects grew to include many departments on campus and collected 40,000 pairs of gloves and 1,700 surgical masks. They also collected N95 masks, face shields, disposable lab coats, shoe covers and antiseptics. 

These items are currently in high demand from health officials due to panic buying over the fear of COVID-19. Also in high demand are ventilators which help people suffering from severe COVID-19 to breathe.

Jennifer Shanholtzer from the nursing department donated two ventilators for the time being to the University Hospital Portage Medical Center.

“We also knew that they were in need of ventilators and we had ventilators that were not being used so it seemed like the right thing,” Shanholtzer said. “It seemed like when I dropped them off they were extremely grateful. It seemed from what they were saying they were going to check them out and they would go into circulation to be used on patients immediately, which is a really good feeling to know that we are potentially helping save lives.”

These donations will help emergency responders avoid COVID-19 while treating and caring for patients who may have, or have come in contact with, the virus. These donations prove once again that Flashes take care of Flashes.

Shelby Reeves is an alumni affairs reporter. Contact her at [email protected].