La-Z-Boy South is bringing back a few employees to make masks for healthcare workers in Newton and surrounding counties.
General Manager Danny Simoneau said he was granted approval to bring back seven furloughed employees to produce the masks while the need is there.
Those employees from the leather cutting operation began working Monday morning.
Last week, Newton County Sheriff Joedy Pennington contacted La-Z-Boy human resources manager Rusty Russell about the lack of masks and other personal protection equipment for health care workers in Newton County.
“I requested that La-Z-Boy reopen its plant to start sewing the equipment,” Pennington said.
“General Manager Danny Simoneau called Michigan and got the approval.”
Simoneau said he was granted approval to bring back seven furloughed employees to produce the masks while the need is there. Those workers began working Monday morning.
“We will continue to do this as long as there is a need in the for the community,” Simoneau said. “These masks are being sewed to help out the counties from where we draw most of our employees. The sheriff reached out to us to see if we could help, and I’m happy that we were able to do this.”
Simoneau said they are only producing the masks, and the distribution of those masks will be up to each county where they will go. He said the masks are intended to be strictly for health care workers. And the masks are given to each county free of charge. None will be sold directly to the public.
“Basically, we will use whatever fabric we can to make the masks,” Simoneau said. “One health care facility donated some fabric, and we are using that fabric to make those specifically for them. We will be using some cotton-based fabric on others. We are just making the masks, and we are giving them to the counties. They will make the decision of how they will be distributed.”
Simoneau said they could add back additional employees depending on the need for more masks or other equipment that requires sewing. No decision has been made at this time on that.
Pennington will be the one distributing for Newton County. He said each county Emergency Management Agency will determine who will collect the supplies and how they are distributed.
“Mainly, we are trying to focus on our health care workers in the county,” Pennington said. “We want to make sure they have adequate protection. That’s our main priority right now.”
Pennington thanked Simoneau, Russell and production manager Kevin Rigdon for making this happen.
“I would also like to thank Sen. Tyler Mccaughn, State Rep. Randy Rushing and State Rep. Troy Smith for all of the time spent on searching for materials, phone calls and the logistics to make this happen,” Pennington said. “This is what happens when we all work together to help the people of Newton County. Again, thank you all for what you have done.”
