COVID-19 drives collaboration of community partners

Katie Teachout, The Journal | Last updated Oct 09, 2020 1:42pm0

Katie Teachout count

Newly printed masks are displayed in front of Lind-Ritzville High School Principal Kevin Terris, Superintendent Don Vanderholm and East Adams Rural Hospital CEO Corey Fedie. In the foreground is a spool of plastic filament used to create the masks.

RITZVILLE – Need necessitates invention, and a short supply of masks at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic led East Adams Rural Healthcare CEO Corey Fedie to approach Lind-Ritzville High School Principal Kevin Terris about printing masks for the hospital and clinic, with the school's 3D printer.

Fedie said the collaboration began four months ago, after he saw a clinic in Billings, Montana, was printing masks.

"N95s were still in short supply, and Kevin volunteered over the summer to fire up the printer," Fedie said.

"It started with conversations about what we wanted our kids to experience...