Rotary Million Mask Challenge Tour Hits RI Today

Photo: Rotary Club Truck unloading in Massachusetts – on the tour

Rotarians from all parts of Rhode Island will gather to welcome the arrival of a truck carrying 30,000 protective face masks for distribution to RI Rotary Clubs at the RI State House plaza today, Wednesday, Oct. 7^th, at 12:30pm. The masks will then be distributed to first responders and essential workers in their communities. The event is part of the Rotary Million Mask Challenge* Tour that will reach all six New England states between Oct. 5 and 7.

A truck filled with 800,000 masks will make stops in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine before coming to Rhode Island.

An additional 200,000 masks were distributed across Connecticut in the spring, making the total one million. All were donated by Ted Rossi, an East Hampton, CT, philanthropist and Rotarian, and the Rossi Family Foundation.

“We are navigating unprecedented times through this pandemic,” said Charlene J. Jarest, governor of Rotary District 7950, which includes 65 clubs in Rhode Island and southeast Massachusetts. “And as colder days arrive with flu season, Rotarians are in action all across the district making sure that organizations and businesses have access to the most important safety measure to stave off the Covid virus. I couldn’t be prouder of the men and women of our clubs who are making a difference by selflessly giving of themselves. This is what Rotarians do.”

Non-profit and government agencies that will receive masks from Rotary clubs in Rhode Island include:

Franklin Court Assisted and Independent Living

East Bay Food Pantry

Linn Health & Rehabilitation

Winslow Gardens

O’Hara Senior Care, 

East Providence Fire Department

Lucy’s Hearth

Northern RI Food Pantry

CASA

Amos House 

Crossroads Rhode Island 

Tri-County Community Action Agency 

Trinity Baptist Church food pantry

Smithfield School Department 

Providence School Department

Family Services of Rhode Island

Wood River Health Services, 

RICAN

WARM Center of Westerly

East Greenwich Food Bank 

Providence Rescue Mission

Jonnycake Center of Westerly

Representatives of recipient agencies Family Service of RI, Franklin Court Assisted Living and the Providence Public School District will discuss the value of the masks to the people they serve.

iHeart Media Communities is supporting the Rotary Million Mask Challenge Tour by providing widespread updates promoting the project throughout all of their New England radio stations.

“The challenge of the Rotary Million Mask Challenge Tour is based on the premise that Rotarians are People of Action,” said Dr. Jack Solomon, past governor of Rotary District 7980, which encompasses the southern half of Connecticut. 

“With this as our guide, we first challenge each Rotary Club engaging with this project to guarantee that each and every PPE they receive is delivered to community based first responders and essential workers.

“Secondly, as we transition into the colder months, we challenge Rotarians across the country to join our cause by leveraging their own resources to deliver protection and safety to first responders and essential workers at the vital core of our communities,

“Last, we challenge our Rotary corporate partners, NGO’s and the business community whom we connect with every day to step up to the plate and support this effort. “