Mat-Su community shows solidarity with frontline medical staff

PALMER — Multiple business, restaurants and private members of the community have been teaming up to support frontline workers and Mat-Su Regional Medical Center staff during the past few months of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The local restaurant industry has been hit especially hard due to temporary mandates requiring them to shut down their dine-in options. Many had to resort to creative methods to keep business moving, but have also found ways to use their own resources to bring meals and other treats to the employees of Mat-Su Regional.

“We have seen an outpouring of encouragement coming from those in our community,” said Dave Wallace, CEO of Mat-Su Regional. “People all over the Valley have come together to support the team here at the hospital, whether it’s through food and PPE donations or volunteering of services.”

Restaurants, cafes and bakeries such as the House of Bread in Wasilla, Alaska Artisian Coffee, Evangelo’s, Everett’s and Locals Pub and Pizzeria have used their own resources to provide hospital staff with an abundance of food options these last few months of COVID-19.

Other businesses and organizations in the Valley such as Palmer Lions Club, Matanuska Telephone Association, Enstar, TMC Sales and RE/MAX Frontier have in turn supported the restaurants by ordering food to bring to the first responders and frontline staff.

For the men and women working at Mat-Su Regional, this has been one less thing they have to think about during this stressful time. As for those in the community, is has been an opportunity to show their support.

People are also continuing to help provided medical staff with PPE.

Alaska Directional, Mat-Su McKinley Fencing, 3M Alaska and Richard Divelbiss from Thermo-Cool of Alaska are among the businesses that donated some of the much-needed N95 masks. Target in Wasilla also provided 5000 construction type masks to the hospital in early April.

Mat-Su Regional has also received support from seamstresses across the state. The Mat-Su Valley Makers have continued to donate a steady stream of masks, gowns, caps and other protection.

“We are grateful to have a community that will stand by us in the most uncertain of times,” said Alan Craft, Marketing Director for Mat-Su Regional, “so many have demonstrated their support in such tangible ways. It’s one of the silver linings this pandemic has produced.”

Mat-Su Regional Medical Center is a 125-bed healthcare facility providing advanced surgical service, including robotic-assisted partial and total knee and total hip replacement, cardiac care, emergency services, sleep studies, inpatient behavioral health, advanced wound care, three urgent care centers, the Family Birthing Center and is home to the 30-Minutes-or-Less ER Service Pledge. Mat-Su Regional is accredited as a Chest Pain Center by the American College of Cardiology, and as an Acute Stroke Ready Hospital by The Joint Commission. To learn more about Mat-Su Regional, visit www.MatSuRegional.com.