LAKE FOREST, CA — In Lake Forest, during the coronavirus pandemic, neighbors are rising to help neighbors. Nowhere is that as true as with 1,000 medical-grade masks that have been donated to the city for area essential workers.
Economic Development Coordinator Carlo Tomaino talked with Patch about a large donation of masks made for area grocery stores and area skilled nursing facilities.
Peak Fresh USA , led by CEO Greg Ganzerla, donated 100 to the Ralphs on El Toro. Then, Creative Outdoor Distributors, led by CEO Brian Horowitz, donated 600 masks for area workers, according to Tomaino.
Most recently, an anonymous donation was granted for some of Lake Forest’s most in-need workers at senior care centers.
The need for masks began in early April, amid the coronavirus shutdown. Orange County Healthcare and the Orange County Board of Supervisors called for essential workers to wear masks in their places of businesses. There was one flaw. Many businesses had no access to medical-grade personal protective equipment at that time, Tomaino said. With the help of local companies who knew how to find masks and get them here, quick, grocery workers were able to get the gear they needed to do their jobs, safely.
Since then, more residents have been inspired, donating the masks for those who are on the front lines, in the stores, and working so that others can stay home, safe.
The original mask donation inspired another to donate more masks to the city, specifically to be shared with the skilled nursing facilities in the town. Freedom Village Continuing Care Retirement Living in Lake Forest is one of those locations. The Lake Forest Nursing Facility and Basia Residential Care also benefited from the donation.
Lake Forest’s mayor weighed in on neighbors helping neighbors in this uncertain time.
“It’s gratifying, but not surprising, that Lake Forest businesses and residents stepped up provide what we needed most – personal protective equipment for grocery and senior-care facilities,” Mayor Neeki Moatazedi said. “We’ve seen this again and again throughout the coronavirus pandemic. Lake Forest residents stepping up to help each other.”
Creative Outdoor Distributors owner Brian Horowitz discussed what inspired him to purchase and share masks with those in need.
He is used to purchasing medical-grade masks for his business in China, and when the shutdowns began to happen, he quickly realized the need for personal protective equipment was going to grow.
Horowitz worked quickly with his business overseas, had them shipped, and had masks at the city offices for distribution.
It never dawned on him to charge anyone for the donation.
“I didn’t want to charge anyone for masks,” Horowitz told Patch. “In times like these, people need to be helping people. Not trying to make a profit off something that could save someone’s life.”
Once the medical-grade masks were received, the city got to work.
“We called each grocery store to check what their supply of the personal protective equipment was,” Tomaino told us. “They didn’t have hardly anything.”
Horowitz told Patch about taking masks to the Ralphs grocery store in Lake Forest. “The manager got teary-eyed,” he said. Horowitz has also donated masks to the Jewish community in Mission Viejo, where he lives. “People need masks to protect themselves, but also to protect others.”
In his experience in China, people wear masks not only for environmental reasons, to protect from pollution, but also when they aren’t feeling well, to keep others from falling ill. That sort of respect will be more important going forward, he says.
It’s a difficult time for everyone, Horowitz tells us.
His regular business of selling sporting goods, wagons, and beach chairs have stalled. His team bench sales halted for soccer teams that are sidelined. He also sells arcade games, which is an arm of his business that is faring better. People want to have fun at home, to entertain their kids, especially as safer at home orders continue.
The most challenging part of conducting business, or heading out into stores is not sharing a smile with someone else.
“Wearing masks is depressing,” he says. “It’s sad. I don’t want to fog up my glasses! What did our world come to? No one looks at each other in the eye anymore.”
Still, if Orange County can move to the next phase of business, wearing masks is even more imperative to conduct business in a changing economy. Horowitz wants to continue helping others be able to feel safe when they’re out there.
If you need a mask, give him a call, he said.
“The people of Lake Forest matter,” Tomaino said. “We want them to be well, to prosper, and to get through to better times.”
Mayor Moatazedi agrees, saying: “As difficult as the past two months have been for all of us, the spirit of volunteerism and community have been bright spots.”
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This article originally appeared on the Lake Forest Patch