Trevor Shamblin knew that when he offered up his industrial strength cleaning supplies to the public, he would get quite the turnout.

But he didn’t expect the thousands of people who showed up on Saturday in the parking lot of the shuttered Orchard Supply Hardware building – turning the free giveaway into a day-long event where more than 2,000 gallons of disinfectant was distributed to the public.

Shamblin, the owner and operator of Shambling Softwash and Pressure Washing, said he was tired of seeing people exploited for just the peace of mind that comes with knowing you have something that can kill the virus that is crippling the world.

A mixture of commercial bleach, water, and his own blend of soap that bears his name was what blended together and available to anybody who brought a container down to take back with them.

The turnout, Shamblin said, was humbling.

“We’ve had overwhelming support from people – they can’t believe that we’re just giving it away,” Shamblin said. “The line this morning was all the way from Orchard Supply Hardware to Speedy Oil.”

Over the last several months Shamblin has been working to clean up Downtown Manteca on a city contract – and is a Manteca High School graduate.

Seeing people taking advantage of the fear of others, he said, is what motivated him to do something for the community that he loves – making sure that everybody can have at least a little bit of relief while taking away from those trying to profit from the panic.

“Seeing so many people from different walks of life coming together,” Shamblin said. “People seem to be getting relief now that they have disinfectant to hopefully stay safe from the virus.”

The event was initially planned with the backing of the Manteca Fire Department, but their ability to participate changed when Governor Gavin Newsom issued a statewide stay-at-home order on Thursday night – prompting the city to tighten its own reins as the government response to COVID-19 becomes even more heightened.

Two people have been killed in San Joaquin County from the virus since it was first detected – one of whom is believed to have picked it up while traveling, and the other from community transmission. The number of cases is expected to rise in the coming days as more testing is completed.

To contact reporter Jason Campbell email jcampbell@mantecabulletin.com or call 209.249.3544.