10,000 masks donated to John J. Pershing VA Medical Center

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. (KFVS) - Veterans can now receive some needed protection against COVID-19 at Poplar Bluff’s VA Hospital.

10,000 masks were delivered Monday to go to veterans at the medical center.

“We want them to get masks and we will get it to them one way or another,” Walter Domanski said.

Walter Domanski with the U.S. Exercise Tiger Foundation said his group joined with the state of Missouri and the Kingdom Pilots Association to deliver this needed cargo to the John J. Pershing Medical Center.

“This is a great way to keep them and their families safe as well as our employees too,” Paul Hopkins said.

Hospital Director Paul Hopkins said each vet they serve will get a package of five masks.

“Veterans help veterans. They can go and in turn give a mask to another veteran in order to make sure that they remain safe as well,” Hopkins said.

Domanski calls the donation one way to show their support for all veterans.

“The mask issue certainly was something that from a financial cost to just their availability in the rural areas, that seemed like something we could help try to accomplish,” Domanski said.

Domaski said the mask-a-vet campaign is his organization’s largest humanitarian mission in its 30 year history.

“Very grateful for the United States Exercise Tiger Foundation and thinking about us here in southern Missouri,” Hopkins said.

Hopkins said the masks are available at the medical center and its community-based outpatient clinics.

The group plans to deliver at least 150-thousand masks for veterans in Missouri.

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