Franklin Hospital is benefiting from the donation of face shields by teachers at Benton Consolidated High School.
BCHS CAD instructor Gavin Suver is 3D-printing the red portions at his house after the school was notified of a design that was uploaded in a public forum where people could freely download the print files to produce masks for those in need. Each mask takes approximately three hours to print.
Suver then hands the pieces off to BCHS curriculum and technology director Heather Mitchell, who uses a Cricut to cut the plastic shield out of transparent book report covers. Then, she cuts buttonhole elastic for the backs of the shields and assembles them so it is adjustable to the individual consumer.
The ear savers are Cricut-cut from plastic folders. Each plastic folder produces 20 ear savers. Masks that wrap around a person's ears can now wrap around these flexible plastic pieces, worn at the back of a person's head. This saves ears from redness and irritation.
Mitchell and Suver will continue to produce face shields and ear savers for other health care providers in southern Illinois.
Franklin Hospital also has received recent mask donations from Marianne Kaak (Marianne's Cottage), the American Legion, Ruth Brown, Carla Crisp, Melanie Bickett, Mabel Hayes, the Fabric Response Team and Our Redeemer Lutheran Church of Marion -- Marcie McDonald, Betty Aiken, Suzanne Baker, Lisa Price and Mary Bauer.
Ear savers also have been produced by Keith Ing's son using his 3-D printer, Sue Miles, Kare Carter, and Susan, Jason and Colin Ross.
