Karen Gleason
More than 10,500 face masks were delivered recently to the Val Verde County Courthouse by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Val Verde County Judge Lewis G. Owens Jr. welcomed Ross Davidson, president of the Eagle Pass District of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; his wife Jolene Davidson, Elder Christopher Harrell, Elder Nathan McOmber and Willie Braudaway, a member of the Church’s JustServe.org initiative.
Davidson said the donation of the masks is part of the service work the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has done in communities throughout the pandemic and the ongoing service work it does throughout the world.
“The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints tries to provide service throughout the world, in disaster areas, and when the COVID pandemic came about, the Church did a number of things, including food donations, and, more importantly, obtaining and donating these N95 masks,” Davidson said after the large boxes of masks were delivered.
“San Antonio received about 40 pallets of these, and we were able to receive a couple of pallets here, which was 30,000 in total, and we’re apportioning those among the communities of Eagle Pass, Del Rio and the smaller communities in the area as well,” Davidson added.
Owens said this type of donation is always welcome and needed.
“We were trying to come up with a list of who we would serve first with these masks, and what we thought of first were nurses and other medical staff and first responders. Once they are taken care of, we want to look at the nursing homes and our elderly, persons in assisted living. That’s the areas we’re going to hit first,” Owens said.
He said the need for personal protective equipment (PPE) still exists.
“The need goes up and down. You have the phone call that we’re doing okay, and then three weeks later, we’re out hunting for masks that are needed, and this donation will definitely help us fill that need,” the county judge added.
