As a way to keep the community stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Marion Police Department is teaming up with the Lauderdale County Emergency Management Agency to hand out free face masks.

The event starts at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 27 at the Hamasa Temple Shrine in Marion and will continue until all the masks are given out. 

Marion Police Chief Randall Davis said he was contacted by LEMA director Odie Barrett about distributing around 20,000 masks to the community. He said some people can’t afford to buy masks because of the pandemic . 

“It’s always good to help the community,” he said. “Because some people are not fortunate enough to get masks.”