The Town of Huntsville started selling branded masks in November 2020 and nearly 300 have been sold.
The town’s Treasurer Julia McKenzie says it’s gone “extremely well” so far. She tells the MyMuskokaNow.com newsroom the first batch of masks sold out within a few hours. A total of 299 have been sold so far.
The idea for branded masks was thought up by student Rylind Davis. He told council in November he was “jealous” that Deputy Premier Christine Elliott and Huntsville Mayor Karin Terziano had town masks, but they weren’t yet available for everyone else.
As part of his idea, he wanted a portion of the sales from each mask to go to a mental health charity. “It’s important that the youth of our town know that the town knows that they’re there and haven’t forgotten them,” Davis said. “COVID may have come, but mental health doesn’t take a holiday.”
Town council decided to sell the masks for $10 with $2 going to a still undecided mental health charity. With 299 sold, that means $598 will be donated, but McKenzie says that number will grow because they aren’t done selling the masks. While Huntsville Town Hall is closed to the public, she says when it reopens they will start selling masks again.
McKenzie says the town has not set a date when they will stop selling masks. She adds that as long as people are buying them, they will continue to sell them.