August 24, 2020
St. Charles County, Missouri – The General Motors (GM) Wentzville Assembly Plant has donated 105,000 disposable face masks to St. Charles County Government for distribution to the Wentzville School District, Wentzville Police Department, and Wentzville Fire Protection District to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
“On behalf of St. Charles County Government, I would like to thank GM’s Wentzville Assembly Plant for this wonderful donation,” says St. Charles County Executive Steve Ehlmann. “We have continuously worked to educate the community about the importance of wearing masks and following other precautions to stay healthy and safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. Having one of the county’s largest employers supporting our efforts and promoting safety in our community is invaluable.”
The mask donation is just a part of GM’s efforts to support the community during the pandemic. The GM Wentzville Assembly Plant also provided a grant to the St. Louis Area Food Bank in April 2020. “During this challenging time, GM’s first priority is people – protecting and supporting our employees, their families and the communities where we all live and work,” says Lamar Rucker, Plant Executive Director. “We provide masks to our employees every day at Wentzville Assembly and we are fortunate to be able to donate masks to St. Charles County for distribution to schools and first responders.”
The Wentzville School District and Wentzville first responders are appreciative of the donation. At the start of an unprecedented school year, Chief Communications Officer Mary LaPak says the Wentzville School District is grateful for the additional personal protective equipment (PPE). “We remain committed to providing a high-quality education in a safe environment for all students and this generous donation will certainly assist us in those efforts,” she adds.
Chief Paul West of the Wentzville Police Department says the masks will help the department continue to provide outstanding public service. “We appreciate GM stepping up again to partner with the community and are thankful for their support,” he adds.
Wentzville Fire Protection District Chief John Schneider says the masks will help keep their staff healthy and safe. “Our mission is to be prepared and ready to respond to the needs of residents and businesses no matter the conditions or circumstances. The donation supports us in accomplishing this mission,” says Chief Schneider.
Including this donation, St. Charles County Government is providing 450,000 masks to area school districts. Additionally, St. Charles County Government has made more than 500,000 masks available in the community through churches, non-profit organizations, businesses, the St. Charles City-County Library District, and Mask Up Pick-Up events, and provided more than 53,000 masks to city governments as well as PPE for first responders. Masks and PPE are funded through Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster relief and the federal government’s Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.