Caption: Employees of Plus One Rentals packaging masks for shipping to Maine.
Left (Kamal Browne) Right (Adam Henricksen) 

Islanders on the front line of fighting the COVID-19 pandemic received help recently from an unlikely source-the film industry. Anne West, Executive Director of Island Health & Wellness Foundation, relates that she was recently contacted by Alex Vogan, Owner of Plus One Rentals, with the offer of 1,500 cloth masks to be used by any local organization providing health care services during this challenging time.

Plus One Rentals provides production rentals for the film and entertainment industry all around the DC metro area. They supply production sets with items that help everything run smoothly and efficiently-things like communication equipment, tents, make up mirrors, generators, etc. Alex explains, “We’ve been looking for ways to help since this pandemic began. We started off by lending our equipment to local schools to help with food distribution. Our vans were used to pick up and deliver thousands of pounds of food in coordination with the Maryland Food Bank. I knew I wanted to contribute more, so when my best friend reached out and had a connection to purchase personal protective equipment, I jumped on board.” He continues, “I have family in Deer Isle, so it was an easy choice. I’ve visited several times, and it’s hard not to fall in love with Deer Isle-Stonington. There’s so much character and beauty. I also wanted to devote some of our efforts towards a more rural area after focusing a lot on our neighboring cities.” As part of Plus One Rentals donation program, masks are also being provided to frontline workers in Maryland, California, New York, Virginia, Georgia and Washington, DC. 

Island Health & Wellness Foundation received the masks in mid-May and distributed them to local organizations including Northern Light Primary Care Stonington (Island Family Medicine), Island Nursing Home, Memorial Ambulance Corps, Coastline Physical Therapy & Performance, Seaside Pharmacy, Friendship Cottage,  Healthy Island Project, The Island Food Pantry, etc.

Anne West adds, “Lives will be saved because of this donation. We are honored to play a part in such a monumental gift to this community. While this pandemic has presented challenges that we never could have anticipated, it has also given us the opportunity to be the recipients of so much good and to see firsthand how beloved our Island is to so many.”