THELEAVEN.ORG | VOL. 41, NO. 35 | APRIL 17, 2020
THE LITTLE THINGS
Benedictine grads make free ‘ear savers’ for surgical masks By Joe Bollig joe.bollig@theleaven.org
O
VERLAND PARK — Sometimes the smallest thing can make a big difference — like a bit of plastic to make wearing a medical mask a
PHOTO COURTESY OF JAKE SCHMITZ
LIVE IN 3D
Jake Schmitz shows off his 3D printer and the design for “ear savers” — an idea he and friend Ryan Johnson came up with to protect ears from prolonged contact with surgical masks. The two entrepreneurs are making “ear savers” as fast as they can, but are having a hard time keeping up with demand.
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
FEED THE HUNGRY
Schools are working to ensure that their students get fed during the pandemic. Page 3
SPIREFEST
The University of Saint Mary takes its major fundraising effort online this year. Page 4
#IGIVECATHOLIC
Online donation tool makes it easy to give back to those who’ve given so much to you. Page 5
bit easier. Making a big difference is what Jake Schmitz and Ryan Johnson, friends and co-workers, are doing in response to the coronavirus crisis. The two entrepreneurs — who met at Benedictine College in Atchison and work for Overland Park-based Catholic Faith Technologies — are making and donating “surgical mask tension release bands for ear comfort for extended use.” They call them “ear savers.” To protect themselves from the coronavirus, medical professionals and workers — and other people like paramedics — have to wear masks for long hours and many days at a stretch. The elastic bands on the masks that loop around the ears can wear, leading to some serious soreness. So just as the demand for masks of all kinds has soared, so, too, has demand for “ear savers.” There aren’t enough to go around. “It all started after Mass on April 5,” said Johnson, a member of Holy Cross Parish in Overland Park. “My wife and I streamed Mass with Archbishop Naumann. I hopped on Facebook for just a few minutes and saw a friend who I’d gone to college with . . . [who shared] a design for facemask tension release holders for surgical masks.” There was such an overwhelming demand for the “ear savers” from a hospital in the friend’s community that the hospital put the plans online and made a plea for people to make them with their personal 3D printers. “I didn’t have a 3D printer, but I knew that Jake did,” said Johnson. “So, I texted him. I sent him the plans and said, ‘Hey, this would be really cool to do together.’” Schmitz saw the same story. When Johnson contacted him, he liked the idea. “I took a look at the object and said, ‘Let’s do a test run,’” said Schmitz, a member of Ascension Parish in Overland Park. The technology involves making a three-dimensional object from a >> See “AS REQUESTS” on page 4
STAYING ENFLAMED An “Enflame Our Hearts” Facebook page has kept people connected during the pandemic. Page 7
SUPPLICATIONS
Look for future Sunday Supplications on The Leaven’s website at: www.theleaven.org.