Notes: Matt Patricia, Detroit Lions assist in local COVID response

Justin Rogers from the Detroit News has a story everyone ought to see. It is excellent, so i’mma just shut up and let Justin flow. Click through to read the whole article:

As mentioned in Rogers’ article, the team has worked with Empowerment Plan in the past, including an offseason visit last June by the incoming crop of rookies. The sleeping bag coat creators have gotten national recognition for their good work for many years. Founder and CEO Veronika Scott was hailed as one of CNN’s 10 Visionary Women in 2014. CNN recently followed up with a feature on her enterprise in January 2020, calling it “one of the most successful homeless employment programs” in the country.

According to Rogers, “the (Empowerment Plan) was already deep into plans to produce both surgical masks and hospital gowns, even though they weren’t sure how they were going to fund the crisis-driven pivot.” That’s where head coach Matt Patricia, the Detroit Lions, and team captain Jarrad Davis pitched in to organize financial backing and partners for this quick response project.

CEO and founder Veronika Scott is still sorting through many of the details, but the expectation is to bring back 15 sewing machine operators — the maximum allowed for safe conditions — who could produce up to 6,000 masks each week.

Facing critical shortages in masks and gowns for medical staff, Michigan hospitals have been forced to get creative in finding new supplies. Production from manufacturers with the sewing production capacity and expertise like the Empowerment Plan will be a huge boost in the ongoing fight against COVID, so big ups to all these tremendous people.

And now, on to the rest of today’s Notes:

• GOOD JOB CHRIS SPIELMAN - Update on the charity auction for his 1984 Big Ten championship ring: As of Friday mid-morning, it’s up over $10,000 on eBay. You can follow all of your favorite NFL TV color man’s efforts to contribute to COVID relief on the Spielman and Hooley podcast We Tackle Life.

We agree with Dan Miller:

• The Detroit Free Press’ Shawn Windsor wrote about Brooklyn native Oday Aboushi’s experience being home in New York when the state’s shelter in place order came down and the many ways the offensive lineman’s family members are involved in the response to the pandemic.

• Following up on running backs coach Kyle Caskey’s virtual food drive - we wonder who this mystery player was:

• Does your child love the Lions? The team wants to hear from YOU:

• MLive’s Ryan Zuke compiled a list of the top athletes to star on professional sports teams in Detroit who did not win a championship. Sitting atop the list was neither Ty Cobb nor Miggy, but a retired Lion.

• Not sure if there are any codes left, but the team wants you to football in the safety of your own home: