The Rotary Clubs of Bartram Trail, St. Johns, Ponte Vedra in Nocatee, St. Augustine Sunrise and St. Augustine Beach joined to donate 2,700 PPE COVID-19 face masks to 25 local schools in order to help teachers and staff.
Earlier this fall, Rotary District 6970 Area Gov. Jack Murray learned local teachers would need assistance with PPE supplies. Murray believed local Rotary Clubs could do something to help teachers and staff.
“I started with my wife’s club, Ponte Vedra in Nocatee,” Murray said. “MaryBeth is the club’s president-elect and I asked if her club would like to partner with our club to help. It took off from there. Many Rotarians have family members who are teachers, so they were ready and willing to help when asked.” A call was made to St. Johns County Superintendent of School Tim Forson for the school district’s approval and support. With a few more quick calls to other Rotary clubs in the county, Murray soon had five Rotary clubs wanting to help with this project.
“We then took the project and submitted it to the district for foundation matching funds,” Murray said. “The District Foundation team, led by Past D-6970 Gov. Jeanette Loftus, reviewed it and shortly thereafter approved our project. We were able to start small with what looked like maybe a few hundred masks to a school or two and turn it into 2,700 PPE masks to help 25 local schools throughout St. Johns County.”
