TULSA, Okla. — Hand sanitizers and cleaning supplies have been running low at some stores across Tulsa.
First responders, restaurants, and others are still fighting to stay clean, but may not have the resources to do so; a local distilling company is changing that.
The owner of Oklahoma Distilling Company is making hand sanitizer for our neighbors in need.
“We were kind of thinking of ways that we could help out people in the service industry,” Hunter Stone Ganbill said.
Hunter Stone Ganbill is the owner of Oklahoma Distilling Company. He says since more cases of the coronavirus were confirmed in Tulsa County, he wanted to do something for local businesses being affected.
“For us, we are offering free bottles of sanitizer for bars and restaurants that are open doing curbside as something that they can sell," Ganbill said. "And we are also doing it for free.”
He says all proceeds will be going to displaced workers in the service industry that are taking a big hit right now.
“Being a part of the community, and really doing our part has always been very important to me,” Ganbill said.
He says many local distributors like Boardwalk, Artison, and Visions have helped support him, and now it's his time to give back.
“At a time like this, it’s like all three of us, the money that comes in is going to stay in our community," Ganbill said. "If you supporting them, you’re supporting them, and supporting us as we kind of try to weather this.”
He says they had more than enough sanitizer to go around so they reached out to people who may need it like Tulsa police and fire, but for free.
The executive director of Crime Stoppers says when she got the call, she gladly said yes.
“The police department is very anxious to get it into their hands so that they can start sanitizing their equipment, their cars, everything,” Karen Gilbert said.
She also says it's one of the things she loves about the Oklahoma spirit, people stepping in to help those in need.
“Anytime that we can pull together as Tulsan’s and work together to fight this, to make each other feel safe, but more importantly healthy, it’s a great feeling," Gilbert said.
Ganbill tells 2 Works for You he wants to stress how important it is to pour back into local producing businesses because of the impact the coronavirus has had on the Tulsa community.
He started a GoFundMe to raise money to get more hand sanitizer equipment. If you'd like to donate, click here.
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