Life Fitness Mask Donation Effort Grows

Life Fitness in Owatonna has made another donation of hand-sewn, non-surgical cloth face masks to local healthcare workers. Other Life Fitness locations around the state, country, and world are also utilizing their company's equipment to benefit front line workers in the fight against the coronavirus.

Owatonna's Life Fitness has donated 450 masks to the Owatonna Healthcare Campus, CountrySide Care Center, Traditions Care Center, and Timberdale Trace Assisted Living. Life Fitness plants in Ramsey, MN, Falmouth, KY, and internationally in Hungary are also participating in the effort. Over 3,000 masks have been produced collectively with many more in the works to donate to local providers in each community.

On April 3 a donation of 275 masks went to Owatonna Hospital. The project began with Life Fitness employees Kris Morgan and Lisa Boyd. Owatonna's Life Fitness plant manager John Champa supports the work, "Healthcare workers on the front lines need our support now more than ever, and we knew we had to do our part. Our employees wanted to help and we are able to use resources in our upholstery department to sew masks that will serve healthcare workers in our community."

The Owatonna Area Chamber of Commerce is compiling similar local success stories through their #StrongerTogether Facebook page. Recent additions include a donation of flowers and plants by Klecker's Kreations to healthcare workers. A cooperative effort between several businesses led to another round of 3-D printed face shields. The group included Viracon, Federated Insurance, Poly Plastics, FoamCraft Packaging, Cindy's Tailoring, Mineral Springs Brewery, and the Owatonna middle school.