Representatives from the Taiwan government visited Mayfield on Thursday to donate 100,000 masks to the community after it was devastated by the December tornado outbreak.
Kentucky and Taiwan have been sister states for the past 40 years, and the Director-General from Taiwan Elliot Wang said the country considers Kentucky as a part of its global family due to this relationship.
“We will be with you always far into the future,” Wang said. “So, whenever you need anything, don't be hesitant to let us know.”
In the past, Taiwan has donated masks during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the country also donated more than $100,000 and gift cards to the state after the December tornado outbreak. On Thursday, Taiwan donated masks to the Mayfield Fire Department.
“We're still in a pandemic and these masks have increased in price over the last several months and over the course of the last two years,” Assistant Fire Chief Darin French said. “It's going to take some of the burden off of our budgeting and it's going to provide this resource, which is, at times, scarce and hard to come by.”
Mayfield Mayor Kathy O’Nan said she didn’t know until recently the Commonwealth and the country shared a sister-state partnership dating back to 1982.
“We're so thankful because of that connection for your monetary donation, for your mask donation, for the cards you've done,” O’Nan said. “I hope that we can play, here in Mayfield, we can play a larger role in that connection with you in the future.”
