The Lakeville Estates Civic Association donated $4,300 worth of personal protective equipment to three local hospitals and a senior housing facility as part of the group’s efforts to aid in combating the coronavirus.
The association’s president, Bill Cutrone, said the first round of face masks and gloves were delivered to the Hospice Center of Long Island and Nassau County’s 3rd Precinct, located on Hillside Avenue in Williston Park. The police officers made Cutrone and the association aware of others who were potentially in need of supplies.
“We had a few people tell us that the residents of the Senior Housing at Denton Green were also in need of [personal protective equipment],” Cutrone said. “There were about 150 residents in lockdown and the police weren’t able to provide them with anything, so we figured we would step in and help.”
After donating equipment to the seniors, Cutrone said the association was made aware by a parent of a Northwell Health nurse that the employees are required to wear the same protective mask throughout their 12-hour shift as they deal with a variety of patients. Cutrone said he was told that the healthcare workers are also asked to put their mask in a brown paper bag after their shift and bring it in to wear the next day, up to a certain point.
Thousands of dollars worth of masks and personal protective equipment have been donated by various members of the association to Northwell Health, St. Francis Hospital, and Winthrop hospitals, according to Cutrone.
The response from those who have received donations has been remarkable, he said.
“They’re all just so grateful for it,” he said. “There was one woman who had tears in her eyes when she saw the donations.”
Cutrone said the donations to hospitals, senior housing, and the police precinct was funded by more than 700 of the association’s 4,000 homes.
With around $1,500 worth of masks left over, Cutrone advertised them for sale to members of the association at a cost of $10 each. According to Cutrone, people began to pay $15 and $20 for masks, which added up to more than $2,300 that was donated to St. Francis Hospital.
“That’s what our civic association is all about,” Cutrone said. “Whatever money we have for either a beautification project or something like this, we’re all about helping the community any way we can.”
Cutrone said a member of the association, Zin Thant, donated a large number of canned goods and other food products that were given to Notre Dame Parish’s food bank, located on Mayfair Road in New Hyde Park.
