CERT members deliver face masks to business owners

Employees of the Houston County Courier joined Managing Editor Toni Browning, a CERT member to deliver facial masks to Crockett businesses. Pictured from the left are Ashley Keenan, Brandy Jones and Toni Browning. ( ALTON PORTER|HCC PHOTO)

BY TONI BROWNING
Managing Editor
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The City of Crockett Mayor, Dr. Ianthia Fisher, and Crockett City Administrator, John Angerstein developed the Crockett Economic Recovery Taskforce (CERT) in late April. This group is endeavoring to help Crockett merchants reopen their businesses and recover from the impact COVID-19 has had on their revenue.

Members of this group are Dr. Fisher, Angerstein, James Gentry – Crockett Economic Development Corp. (CEIDC), John Emerich – Crockett Independent School Superintendent and Education Representative, Tim Allen – Representative for Churches and Non-profit Organizations, Sheila Ryman – Bank and Finance Representative,  Dr. Christopher Haeckler – City Health Officer and Health/Hospital Representative, Liza Clark – Crockett Area Chamber of Commerce Representative, Lezlie King – Small Business Representative, Toni Browning – Media and Communications Representative and Wade Thomas – Small Business Representative.

The group has been meeting regularly and has been making plans to promote local shopping and growth within Crockett. 

One plan developed by CERT consisted of employing a local company, Earl’s Apparel, to create face masks that could be handed out to local businesses, at no charge. The owners could then give a free facial mask to anyone entering their site. Most businesses in Crockett have signs on their doors asking anyone that enters to don a mask as they want to protect their employees from the potential spread of the Coronavirus.

The CERT group was able to obtain monies from the City of Crockett to pay for the masks. The city of Crockett has received a grant from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act and is able to use some of the money received to help pay for the face masks.

On Friday, Aug. 21, Angerstein recruited several members from CERT to deliver the masks to business owners. The masks are a red plaid color and have a tab proudly stating that the masks were made in the USA. Business owners were happy to receive the face masks and look forward to future CERT endeavors.

Employees from the Houston County Courier helped to deliver the masks.