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By JOYANNA LOVE/ Managing Editor

Several community organizations were given a boost in staying safe in this lingering pandemic on May 12.

Merchants Food Service donated sanitizer to several community organizations whose work requires in-person interaction or who have summer in-person activities planned.

“It is an opportunity for us to do something good,” Ricky Reed, division president for Merchants, said. “We know that it has been a tough year for everybody, and (we’re) just trying to share some extra stuff that we have.”

In trying to distribute 500 cases of sanitizer, Merchants contacted the Industrial Development Authority for suggestions of recipients and help.

Recipients included Chilton County Schools, Chilton County Chamber of Commerce, Maplesville Town Hall, YMCA of Chilton County, Jemison Municipal Complex, Thorsby Town Hall, Clanton City Hall as well as local fire departments and law enforcement.

The donation will come in helpful for summer campers at the Y, which starts June 7, and for attendees to the Chamber’s Peach Jam on June 26.

“We appreciate Merchants donating this,” Chamber Executive Director Rachel Martin said. “We plan to use it at Peach Jam to have it out just to keep everybody safe and at any other events that we will be hosting.”

Maplesville Town Hall and the town library have opened back up to the public, town clerk Dawn Smitherman said, so the donation will ensure that there is enough sanitizer for anyone that needs it.

“We thank Merchants for their kind generosity for the hand sanitizer,” Sheriff John Shearon said. “We definitely need it with everything going on today; we use a lot of it.”

As of May 13, Chilton COunty was in the low risk category for COVID-19, according to the Alabama Department of Public Health.

Reed also mentioned he wanted the community to know that Merchants is also hiring for all positions.