1: I just got kicked out of the Lehi Farmers Market FOR wearing a mask, A thread

2: I'm a live event worker, a brand ambassador. I hand out free stuff at just about any event. Toys, or phone accessories like headphones and car chargers. My company struggles to find events to put us at these days, mostly to keep their employees employed.

3: one of the events that are still open are farmers markets. I've been to the Daybreak farmers market and the Salt Lake farmers market and they have been following health department guidelines... The Lehi farmers market, on the other hand, has been really sketchy.

4: for context, as of today Utah covid cases are spiraling out of control
Nearing 2k new infections per day. Each day setting a new record. Over 500 are dead. Utah County (where Lehi is) caused a massive spike in cases attributed to super spreader events like "covid parties"

5: The proprietor of the Lehi Farmers market loves wearing her "my freedom is greater than your fear" shirt" and refused to talk to anybody wearing a mask. Which like, fine. I don't want to talk to you anyway.

6: well, I set up my booth with my free prizes and I also had a big bag of free masks provided by my company to hand out to anyone who would like one. I also have a sign that reads "masks on to play."

7: if you want the free prizes, at the least you have to respect me enough, and be considerate enough, to do your part to keep me safe. Otherwise you can move on and not interact at my booth or get free prizes.

8: If someone is not respecting public health guidelines, I don't want to book them for quotes from my company. Why would I endanger a sales Rep or their family by sending them to a household that might get them sick? Those sales leads will still be there when the pandemic ends.

9: so this family of 4 comes to my booth, no mask on, and they ask to spin the wheel. I tell them that I prefer they wear masks to play, and that I have some free ones for them. So I gave them each a free mask. They put the mask on, won some prizes, and left with their prizes.

10: Well, the proprietor of the farmers market saw this and decided to come up to my booth. She demanded to know what I was doing. I told her I was following the public health guidelines. There is a mask mandate in Utah County and my company follows health department regulations.

11: she told me that my mask was "useless" and she didn't want me wearing it. She asked why I was handing out free masks and having people wear them to play. I told her that I didn't want to get sick, and I had the right to run my booth how I wanted. Safely, and legally.

12: She left, and then her husband and some guy who I assume was there for "backup" stormed to my booth. He demanded I take off my mask, take down my "masks on to play" sign and stop handing out free masks.

13: he called me a "socialist" and accused me of spreading "propaganda" by handing out masks. I told him that my company follows health department guidelines and he said "well I disagree with your health department guidelines." as if the health department is up for debate.

14: I told him that I had the right to operate my booth how I like. My company paid for the space, and if they didn't like it, they could refund us and I would leave. I was done dealing with these anti-maskers and their harassment.

15: he told me to "get out then" and that if I didn't leave immediately, he would call the police for trespassing. I told him "OK then I'll leave. I'll pack up" I started putting all the prizes and everything in my tote and folded up the table.

16: I called my boss to let her know I got the boot from the event and why. When I did that, the man came back to shout at me so that my boss could hear him over the phone.

17: he kept shouting "YOUR EMPLOYEE IS INCOMPETENT" and "HE'S A POOR REPRESENTATIVE FOR YOR COMPANY." I told my boss I was being harassed and would call her back. When I hung up, the guy told me I was trespassing. I said "dude, look, I just packed up. I am leaving fast as I can"

18: Him and his "backup" followed me to my car. I put my gear in my vehicle, drove away, and called my boss back and explained the situation. Fortunately, my company is good at backing up its employees.

19: My boss apologized and told me that they haven't had an issue before... But also, the proprietor very clearly flaunts her Anti-Mask opinion. They only spoke to her on the phone. I was totally fine leaving. I didn't want to work in a plague den anyway.

20: Of course, this policy if "no masks" is completely against the @CDCgov reccomend actions and the @UtahGov mask mandate and the @UtahCountyGov and @UCHD health regulations. Events like the Lehi Farmers market are super spreader events, spiking cases in Utah.

21. If you would like to report The Lehi Farmers market, here's the form to report. Hopefully the @UCHD will actually do something. https://health.utahcounty.gov/contact-us/ 

Anyway, I got the day off. Going to a market that IS following safety guidelines. See if they'll like our business.

More info for your report.

Lehi farmers market is at
7431 North 8000th West, Lehi, UT 84043

They meet Friday-Saturday

I understand they are accusing me of "throwing things" here's what I tossed. A family that wanted to play didn't have masks, I asked if they wanted some free ones. They said yes and I said "I'll toss it to you" and underhanded cloths masks to their open hands. How "threatening"

And again, the family put the masks on, played the game, won prizes, and walked away just fine. They seemed to be having a good time. If I was "rudely throwing things" do you think they would have stayed to play and win the prizes? would they have worn the free masks?