The 10 Squared Men of Guthrie County’s donations this year have all been connected to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, with their third and final donation assumed to make the largest contribution of them all for residents in 2021.

Instead of holding an in-person meeting this December, Director Barry Monaghan studied the nominations submitted including one for Guthrie County Public Health. The health department wishes to purchase a software system to register all of the county residents to track for COVID-19 vaccine distribution. Monaghan was informed by Public Health Director Jotham Arber that the County had budgeted $6,000 for the cost of vaccine distribution, and the mentioned software would cost $10,000. This software would ensure that only Guthrie County residents would receive their share of the vaccine, and would help contact residents when the second phase of the vaccine is available. The health department learned in an emergency disaster simulation they performed a few years ago that having a distribution site in each town in the County would be much more efficient to reach residents as well.

Monaghan shares what he learned, “Making it easier for people throughout the county, having that site in each of the communities so people wouldn’t be forced to travel and then trying to make sure that we covered everybody within the county. I think it’s a great opportunity, kind of what 10 Squared Men was meant for was to reach out to people within our county. And probably nothing’s more important right now than getting that vaccine, getting it distributed, and hopefully getting this behind us.”

Similar to the first donation of 2020, instead of holding a vote Monaghan asked the members for their $100 donations for public health, as he thinks of nothing more important to residents’ health and economic well being than to help with this process. Monaghan expects the donation to total around $15,000, and he hopes the group can meet in person this spring.