SANFORD, Fla. – One local man in Sanford did his part and handed out 500 masks to first responders.
Bill Kelton works as an outside sales representative at the Sanford Branch for City Electric Supply. When he was contacted by a client about help getting more masks, Kelton saw how difficult it was to get those supplies. He asked for help and got support from the company and five other branches in Deland, Port Orange, Daytona Beach, Oviedo and Altamonte Springs.
"I've yet to get a negative answer," Kelton said. "Everybody wants to be involved, and everybody wants to help. Like I said, City Electric Supply is going to provide us with that extra help and help us with our community because they're big in our community...They will be there with us."
In less than 48 hours, 500 masks were donated to hospitals, police departments and fire stations. Kelton said the workers ran up to meet him.
"I've never seen anybody so thankful as these people," he said. "I've said this before and I'll say it again: we're doing it now. Tomorrow, we may need that help. Hopefully there will be somebody there to help us, but right now, our goal is to get more involved and help our community because this is when we need to be together as a team."
The branches went to places including AdventHealth Fish Memorial, Deltona Fire Department, Volusia County Sheriff's Office, Sanford Hospital, Port Orange Police Department and Daytona Fire Department.
Kelton is looking to send out up to 2,000 more masks once the supplies come. He is ordering and buying masks from wherever he can find them. He wants to continue helping those that help the community.
“It’s time we take care of them,” Kelton said. “We take care of our neighbors. And I mean, let’s just do this. It’s nothing that none of us cannot do. Anybody can do it. It’s just an ideal that I can up with, and it’s going to go.”