Barrie’s construction industry rallied to donate masks and gloves after a call from Barrie’s Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre Foundation (RVH) for help with supplies to facilitate COVID-19 screening and treatment.
There were similar campaigns in communities across the province as hospitals turned to contractors for donations of personal protective equipment.
The request from RVH was circulated by the Barrie Construction Association last week, and there was a tremendous community response.
“I already have boxes of masks and gloves dropped off here at the BCA office,” said Alison Smith, BCA executive director. “Other members have informed me that they have orders in for these items and will notify RVH when they come in.
The following businesses responded with donations:
- Georges Electrical
- Duivenvoorden Haulage
- Element Environmental Contracting
- Georgian College – Healthcare Faculty
- Quinan Construction
- Rockbrune Movers
- Rona
- Sunbelt Rentals
- Ultimate Construction
- Western Mechanical
RVH Foundation CEO Eric Dean said the health centre offered to track donations and reimburse companies for the supplies.” Dean noted that many of the contractors refused reimbursement, choosing instead to donate the supplies.
The Barrie Construction Association was one of the first organizations to respond to the request for help. The Executive Director for the Association, Alison Smith, put a call out to its members.
“Just as I hit send the phones started ringing,” Smith says. “People were dropping stuff off at our offices, people were dropping stuff off here,” she added, as she arranged several boxes of N95 masks on the pile.
The equipment has been coming in from construction companies, but also aestheticians’ offices, dental offices and more.
“What’s amazing is the community responsiveness. Everybody’s in this,” says Dean.
Good work, BCA!
