DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — A Bellbrook church and Fairborn distillery joined forces for a special delivery for those on the front lines in the Miami Valley.
Crossroads Church dropped off donations of hand sanitizer to Dayton firefighters and sheriffs deputies in Washington Township.
“The generosity, the kindness, the compassion, checking on your neighbors, bringing donations to first responders, or just being nice–the community has been fabulous throughout this,” smiles Dayton Fire Department Assistant Chief Nicholas Hosford. “As we’ve gone through this last year of disasters throughout this community, time and time again, people and community members have stepped up to the challenge to help one another.”
With the help of Stillwrights Distillery, the church’s pastor says they helped turn $100,000 worth of rum into hand sanitizer to be handed out. One thousand bottles will be going to area first responders and care facilities.
“This is a time for us as a community to be looking out for each other,” says Andy Reider, Community Pastor at Crossroads Church. “A lot of man hours that went into producing these, bottling them, labeling them; but we had volunteers from our church involved, as well as a lot of money. The money we would have spent towards making weekend services happen–since we’re not gathering together in person, we’re taking all the money that we can and re-allocating that to just where it’s going to do the most good.”
In partnership with the church, the distillery also made 5,000 bottles of hand sanitizer for Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
Dayton firefighters say initially when the coronavirus started, they didn’t have a large supply of sanitizer for crews; however, donations have come in waves keeping them stocked for periods at a time.
“At the moment, we’re doing okay, but this will go right to the crews and be put out and used in the next week or two,” says Hosford.
The church has also distributed hand sanitizer to other organizations like Hospice, St. Leonard, Bethany Village and Bogg Ministries.
