NEWMARKET -- A group of 70 volunteers have taken over Newmarket's Hollingsworth Civic Arena and converted it into the intake and sanitization facility for the Ontario PPE Collective.
Project co-ordinator Seamus O’Hara said the initiative came from wanting to provide adequate equipment for health-care workers on the front lines.
Volunteers from across Newmarket work to help 3D print, produce, assemble and deliver the shields to institutions, such as hospitals and long-term care homes.
“So what we are is an interim solution while the commercial applications are developed,” explained O’Hara. “It takes them time to get their machines, getting Health Canada approval and then get approval from the independent hospitals and institution’s across the province.”
Volunteers can make about 100 PPEs each day, with each face shield taking about five hours to create.
The town of Newmarket says it was proud to approve the use of the arena for such a good cause, which is large enough to allow volunteers to physical distance from one another.
The initiative is now reaching even further than Newmarket. O’Hara said they have over 5,000 requests, some coming from Alexandria, Ontario and Ottawa.
As the pandemic continues, and the need for personal protective equipment (PPEs) is high, O’Hara said the team is ready to pump out as many shields as needed.
The Ontario PPE Collective runs on donations through its GoFundMe page, and they are always looking for volunteers and 3D printers.
O’Hara also encourages front-line workers in need of equipment to reach out.
