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HOMETOWN HEROES

Coming Together as a Community during COVID-19

“We can choose to cooperate and help each other, to share, to give, to help and to support each other or we can choose to be selfish, to hoard, to look after only our self. Indeed, it is difficulties that bring out our true colors. This is reminding us that after every difficulty, there is always ease. Life is cyclical, and this is just a phase in this great cycle. We do not need to panic; this too shall pass.”   Bill Gates

I thought this was a good quote and speaks to the spirit of St. Charles County residents and workers who pitched in during the coronavirus pandemic in a variety of ways. This is just a small sample of some of the projects, and caring, creative ideas generated during this challenging time.

Thanking Our Healthcare Heroes: The St. Charles City Police and Fire departments came together in a show of support and solidarity to thank our health care heroes at SSM St. Joseph Hospital for their efforts to provide compassionate care to patients, especially those stricken with coronavirus. While respecting social distancing, uniformed police and firefighters, along with Mayor Dan Borgmeyer, gathered in an adjacent parking lot, with their emergency vehicles donning hanging banners with well-wishes and positive messaging for the caregivers.

 Also, the Cardinals and Blues organized a traveling pep rally (a CARE-avan) and did a tour around St. Louis, visiting SSM St. Joseph Hospital on April 26 “to spread cheer where our front-line heroes work and live.”

NFL Cornerback Pierre Desir, a Francis Howell Central and Lindenwood University alum, wanted to use his resources to help our area during the coronavirus crisis. He donated 20,000 meals to the St. Louis area food bank. “During this time, I just thought it was important to look for certain organizations that need help. I felt that with school out, I wanted to make sure kids got the meals they would’ve gotten at school…and not go hungry,” says Pierre.

Inventor Forge MakerSpace, in the EDC Incubator, joined in the effort to make medical face shields for healthcare workers. They used 3D printers to create PETG face shields for Mercy and BJC. The St. Charles City School District donated 200 PLA filaments, valued at $1,000, to Inventor Forge to aid in making the medical face shields. 

The St. Peters Cheer Committee was formed to let seniors who are receiving “Meals on Wheels” know that the community is thinking of them. People were asked to write a short note to a St. Peters senior. The Mayor Tom Brown Senior Center in St. Peters delivered the notes, children’s drawings and well wishes to the Center’s Meals on Wheels clients.

Artist Shirley Nachtrieb put away her brushes and picked up needle and thread to help in the effort to provide face masks. With the St. Peters Cultural Arts Centre closed during the pandemic, she wasn’t able to teach watercolor classes, but she found a way to put her talents as a seamstress to great use. Shirley sewed by hand about 100 homemade cloth masks. “Helping people, staying healthy and following the guidelines is important. I’ll pick up my brushes later,” Shirley said. 

STAGES 'GIVES BACK' TO SUPPORTERS

In response to the pandemic, STAGES St. Louis chose to give back to the St. Louis community by making face masks and “Ear Saver” head bands. More than 250 face masks and 300 head bands were distributed to donors, local hospitals, and members of the STAGES family.

Working remotely and despite changes to the upcoming 2020 Season, it was their goal to give back to the community that has supported the STAGES organization since their inaugural season in 1987. Under the leadership of Resident Costume Designer Brad Musgrove and Technical Director Josh Aune, the team constructed masks using remnants of STAGES costume fabric, so not only will they keep our community safe, but they also represent unique parts of STAGES history.

Additionally, STAGES has contributed resources toward the construction of more than 300 “Ear Saver” head bands that were delivered to Mercy Hospitals, St. Louis University Hospital, Siteman Cancer Center, and Barnes Jewish Hospital. Designed and shared by 12-year old Quinn Callander, the device is placed on the back of the head and allows a face mask to be attached to it rather than the ears, removing the strain and irritation caused by long-term wear.

A 3D printer owned by STAGES produced about 2500 and delivered to hospitals, fire departments and first responders.

Several businesses at Streets of St. Charles have been working to help the community in a variety of ways. MOD ON TREND, a family-owned boutique there, is selling "Hometown Heroes" t-shirts on their website, ModOnTrend.com, with profits donated to provide meals for St. Louis healthcare workers. All of the food is sourced from local restaurants as another way to keep our community strong.

YogaSix St. Charles offered free daily Facebook live yoga classes and free access to Y6GO, their virtual yoga portal offering classes on demand. They also had their members nominate friends and family who would benefit from a free virtual membership. "We are happy to share that many community members received the benefits of yoga at no cost. It is the least we could do for our community."

During the pandemic, Pieology has been serving free meals to front-line workers at our local hospitals, grocery stores, police and fire stations, stating that "giving back is at the heart of Pieology and together, we’ll get through the COVID-19 pandemic that has shifted the lives of so many."

St. Charles All Together (STAT) is a collaboration between local civic and community leaders and organizations to raise money from individuals and businesses with the purpose of supporting locally-owned restaurants to feed local hospital workers. They set a goal to raise a minimum of $112, 500 in order to keep our local restaurants supported while feeding 250 hospital workers for 45 days. It launched April 15th with food deliveries between April 20th and May 31st.

People were asked to join the Facebook group, Facebook.com/groups/stcharlesalltogether, and invite their family, friends and neighbors to join by adding a STAT “frame” around their Facebook profile picture between April 15 - April 22 and to consider making a monetary donation. With more than 30  volunteers, STAT has supported over 40 local restaurants and served hundreds of healthcare workers.

Rendezvous Café and Wine Bar was presented with a check from John and Elizabeth Eise in memory of Doris Mathes. Doris‘s family requested that instead of flowers they make a donation to a small business struggling due to the coronavirus. “This is just another great instance of the spirit of people helping people during these times and how the community rallies around each other,” said owner Stephanie Tompkins. "Another example of that is Stephanie Burkemper, who made masks and gathered donations for them, then passed the checks out to local restaurants!"

Nike Air was transformed to help healthcare workers. Nike’s innovation, manufacturing and product teams came together to provide Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in the form of full-face shields and powered, air-purifying respirator (PAPR) lenses to protect against the coronavirus.

Nike's version of the full-face shield transformed elements of the brand's footwear and apparel into much-needed PPE. Collar padding once destined for shoes was repurposed; cords originally earmarked for apparel reconsidered; and, most important, the TPU component of a Nike signature—the Nike Air soles—reimagined. The three parts of the full-face shield came together in a streamlined nine-step process. This was formalized through a collaborative effort between Nike's Innovation teams and manufacturing groups at Nike's Air Manufacturing Innovation (Air MI) facilities in Oregon and Missouri.

Simultaneously, TPU was employed to create new lenses for PAPR helmets. This equipment is used in situations with the most airborne pathogen exposure and is essential to the most critical procedures and care of infected patients. Nike's PAPR lenses take the same TPU as the face masks and have welded segments to fit the specifications of PAPR helmets. Nike’s St. Charles County facility has decades of experience in designing, developing and manufacturing an extensive range of TPU-based products.

EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION DAY SHOWS COMMUNITY SPIRIT

Al Kertz, who has owned Pantera’s Pizza in O’Fallon for 39 years, decided to host an Employee Appreciation Day. He says it’s something he had wanted to do for a while, and when the coronavirus forced him to cut back his workers’ hours, he decided it was time. Kertz announced to the public that he’d give his employees 50 percent of the store’s proceeds on April 1st.

What happened was more than he ever expected! The community responded, making Pantera’s Employee Appreciation Day the largest sales day in the history of the pizza shop.

“It got to a point where we could hardly handle any more orders. Some were told the wait was two-three hours, and some people would come back two hours later to order. If that doesn’t show you the power of community, nothing does.”

One organization, Timmy’s Mountain, ordered 100 pizzas and delivered them to local hospital workers. Former employees and others mailed checks for Pantera’s Pizza employees. Other community members, who couldn’t get through on April 1 because of the heavy volume, called the next day; their orders were added to the employees' split-pot.

“I found out when tough times come, the community goes to bat for us,” says Kertz.

He didn’t disclose the final amount raised for his employees, but Kertz did say the community gave an additional $2,600 in cash tips that went directly to his workers. He said he’s lucky to be part of this industry and this community during these challenging times.

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