As the infection rate grows and the economy shrinks, it can be difficult to see positives. But in this bleak and unprecedented time, solidarity shines in neighborhoods, communities, nations, and across the globe through adherence to social distancing.
Industries are also pitching in to aid humanity. Ford and GE partnering to produce 50,000 ventilators in the next 100 days and then 30,000 per month afterward to help stave off a potentially deadly shortage is an example.
Smaller businesses are also pivoting to manufacture items in demand during the COVID-19 pandemic. Examples are distilleries and skincare companies producing hand sanitizer; textile-related enterprises switching to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for medical personal, and there are many others.
Mystery Ranch Joins the Fight
Mystery Ranch, a brand known for focusing on comfortable load carriage above all else, ceased other production and joined forces with the Gallatin Quilt Guild to sew face masks for medical personnel at their local Bozeman Health Deaconess Hospital in this time of need.
The Gallatin Quilt Guild has instructions and patterns for sewing approved masks for their members on their site. The site also has instructions for proper packaging and delivery. Mystery Ranch merged with this homegrown effort by donating on-hand materials, their production floor, and labor in a commitment to producing 500 masks.
To date, the community has delivered 250 units to the hospital and is happy to accept help from others that can sew.
When asked if Mystery Ranch would do even more to fight this virus, COO and cofounder Renee Sippel-Baker replied with a confident, “Hell yes!”
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