More than 100,000 masks have been delivered to Langley Memorial Hospital to help safeguard frontline workers against the spread of the coronavirus.
The contribution came earlier this week, courtesy of Peter Ansley and his 130-member team at the Langley Canadian Tire store.
“I knew there was a need for help. This is a pandemic that’s taking place around the world and effecting everyone,” Ansley told the Langley Advance Times.
After hearing almost a month ago that hospitals, including Langley Memorial Hospital, were short on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), he was convinced he could assist – at least at the local level.
“When we heard that the hospital workers needed PPE, we knew we had to help. We immediately got started on sourcing supplies for workers,” Ansley elaborated. The result, more than two weeks later his management team personally delivered 100,000 surgical masks and 1,200 N95 respirator masks to the local hospital.
The life-saving and often hard-to-find N95 masks have become a universal symbol in the struggle against COVID-19. Many hospitals report using as many as 100 of the N95 masks per day.
READ MORE: Protective equipment coming in for B.C. health care workers in COVID-19
The need locally, he was told, was dire.
And while Canadian Tire corporate office is donating $5 million to support healthcare and community workers at the frontline of COVID relief and response efforts, this was a way for the local store owner to help here at home.
“The patients, the people of Langley, and the entire Canadian Tire community all benefit from this,” Ansley said. “In times like these, the greatest strength a community has is its members.”
Impressed by the way the Langley, the region, the province, and the country have come together to help each other during these times, he said he and his team wanted and needed to do their part.
“Community is at the heart of everything Canadian Tire associate dealers stand for, which is why stepping up to help when there’s a need goes without question,” he said, noting his team is always anxious to pitch in on the bigger initiatives such as JumpStart and smaller contributions such as sponsorship.
“The hospital is a crucial and important part of our community… We’re happy to contribute. Our store needs to do our part,” Ansley said. “This just seemed like a perfect opportunity for us to help.”
“At Canadian Tire Corporation, we are committed to helping our employees, our customers and the communities we serve navigate through COVID-19 together.”
MORE: A call for donations to fight COVID-19 in Langley and elsewhere
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