On behalf of the City of Sarasota, Mayor Jen Ahearn-Koch and City Manager Tom Barwin accepted a resident’s personal donation of 1,000 newly fabricated protective face shields to help protect first responders and those on the frontlines battling the COVID-19 pandemic in the Sarasota community.

“This is something I wanted to do,” said resident Carolyn Michel, a professional actor who has called Sarasota home for four decades. “You feel so helpless with what’s going on. I can’t even buy hand sanitizer for myself, but I could do this. It makes sense and it feels effective, especially knowing that the face shields will be put to good use to protect first responders and others who need them.”

The idea for the donation sprouted from a shared familial desire to help others during the public health emergency. Michel’s cousin heard about Table Mountain Innovation, Inc., a medical device manufacturing company in the Denver area, which recently converted its operations to produce personal protective equipment (PPE) with the name brand Emergency Face Shield. Michel’s cousin purchased and donated a large quantity of shields to first responders in her community in Colorado.

Wanting to do something similar for her beloved Sarasota, Michel contacted the company owner and personally placed an order for 1,000 face shields to donate to the City of Sarasota.

Each shield is a solitary piece and slides over the head to provide full ear-to-ear and chin-to-forehead safety protection. The shields can be reused and are spacious enough to wear over a N-95 mask and safety goggles.

“These protective face shields will be given to the dedicated men and women with the Sarasota Police Department and those in public safety working hard on the frontlines to help protect them from this very contagious coronavirus,” said Emergency Manager Todd Kerkering. “Some also may be distributed to those who have direct contact with the most vulnerable in our community, including elder care facilities and agencies that assist the unsheltered.”

Eight large boxes were shipped directly to Michel’s home, where arrangements were made for the City to pick up the donation.

“This is such a generous and unexpected gift for the community,” said Mayor Ahearn-Koch. “PPE is in high demand right now and we are so grateful to Carolyn for this thoughtful donation to help protect those on the frontlines as they help the Sarasota community. Thank you from the entire city.”