MARION (WSIL) -- Farmers State Bank in Marion normally deals in cash and coins, but on Monday the only currency exchanged was kindness and care. Medical care, to be exact.
Tom Franks, the bank's chairman of the board, called Trabon Printing Company in Kansas City last week to ask vice president and friend Tony Trabon for a favor.
"He said he had tens of thousands of orders [of face shields]," Franks said. "I talked him into putting us in the front of the line versus the back."
Franks received a shipment of boxes containing 3,000 faces shields, costing around $21,000. They will be distributed to all 26 hospitals in Southern Illinois based on need. "I promised them I would try... We got lucky a little bit."
Keith Van Dyke, facilities director at Ferrell Hospital in Eldorado, says the donations came at a crucial time. His hospital continues to cope with equipment shortages, but Van Dyke says the donation is a good start.
"Surgical masks are something that we do not have," Van Dyke said. "Face shields are important because we can wash these down and use them all day long for one person."
One by one hospital staff and community leaders, like Williamson County State's Attorney Brandon Zanotti, loaded vehicles with boxes of face shields.
Franks hopes others will donate to hospitals in need and put their differences aside. "We're not Republicans or Democrats, we're all Americans."
