PETERSBURG, Va. -- A Petersburg company that deals in surplus medical and surgical equipment is preparing to send a massive shipping container filled with supplies to war-ravaged Ukraine.
“Anything we can do to assist the people in the Ukraine, we’re going to do our part," MST & Associates Operations Manager Mike Lowder said.
The company is sending more than 16,600 pounds, which is little over 8 tons, of supplies.
“We have it. They need it," Lowder said. "And it is the very least we can do."
The medical supplies valued at about $230,000 are enough to fill a 40-foot freight container.
MST's effort began after a conversation with the Paul Chester Children’s Hope Foundation.
“It’s a terrible tragedy, as a child of the Cold War, we often hear about the big, bad guys that Russia is," Lowder said. "And that’s not as important as what the people in Ukraine are going through."
With the foundation securing the container and the logistics to get it to Ukraine, MST set about filling it with an assortment of medical supplies.
“These are shoe covers, so obviously surgeons don’t have their shoes out in the open inside the surgical theater," Lowder explained. “These are isolation gowns to make sure everyone is covered up and sanitary."
Lowder said staffers worked quickly over just three days to make the shipment happen.
"The employees all understand the need for these medical supplies, and while MST is in the business to make money, this isn’t the time," Lowder said. "We’re not making a dollar on this one — and that’s fine."
The 40-foot container, which will be loaded and shipped Monday, is expected to reach the Ukraine in about 45-60 days, according to company officials.
