Community News, April 23

While other parts of the country are talking about the re-opening of businesses and the local economy, on the East End, despite positive trends, healthcare workers, school districts, local businesses and families remain focused on the task at hand: staying healthy and safe and helping support those around us.

For healthcare workers on the South Fork, that support has come through in many ways.

Supplies of Personal Protection Equipment, or PPE, has been a constant concern for hospitals across the state including Stony Brook Southampton Hospital. To help reinforce its supply and in particular isolation gowns — the PPE that locally has been hardest to keep in supply — Dr. Darren Wiggins, Vice Chair of the hospital’s Emergency Department turned to Ken Wright, the Chairman of the Southampton Hospital Association. The two worked together to create several prototypes of a protective gown, including one similar to gowns currently used by healthcare workers, as a part of a campaign to make 20,000 isolation gowns in two-and-a-half weeks.

To make the gowns, Mr. Wright sought the help of over 100 volunteers and business associates, Michael Reilly of Reilly Architectural, a division of Pella Corporation; Tracy Kappenberg, of Riverhead Building Supply; and Leonard Skuggevik, Tuckahoe School Superintendent.

“No request was too large and everyone eagerly jumped aboard the project,” reported Mr. Wright. “In these troubled times, for those of us that are staying home, it’s so valuable to be able do something that feels worthwhile, and this absolutely feels worthwhile. Our community wants to do everything possible to support our local healthcare workers on the frontlines battling COVID-19.”

According to a press release issued by the hospital, Riverhead Building Supply donated 300,000 square feet of 2ml polyethylene as well as 10 miles of tape. Since Reilly Architectural’s operations were suspended in compliance with state regulations, several members of their staff volunteered on rotating schedules to cut the gowns in their Calverton plant. In less than a week, they had received the donated materials, programmed equipment to cut thousands of blanks. The gown blanks were delivered for temporary storage at the Tuckahoe School.

The next stage consisted of almost 100 volunteer crew members, including more than 25 employees of Wright & Company Construction, all of whom donated their time to the mission. One group packed 50 gowns per bin, along with tape and instructions. A team of seven drivers with trucks delivered those bins to a network of volunteer assemblers working from their homes. These in-home assemblers constructed each isolation gown. Once a bin of 50 gowns was completed, a driver picked it up and dropped off a fresh bin for assembly. The bagged isolation gowns were stored at Tuckahoe for distribution to Stony Brook Southampton Hospital, as needed.

In the meantime, Jimmy Mack and three other residents announced an initiative this week to raise $20,000 for Southampton Volunteer Ambulance Inc. to aid the nonprofit staffed primarily by volunteers as ambulance corps across the East End face a tremendous uptick in emergency calls as a result of the COVID-19 virus. As of Wednesday morning, the GoFundMe page had raised $1,600. To donate, visit gofundme.com/f/southampton-vol-ambulance-covid19-response-fund.

Schools continue to work on ways to communicate with students and families as distance learning continues through May 15, and perhaps beyond. At Springs School in East Hampton, the fourth grade class has been taking virtual weekly field trips on “Fun Friday.” Last week, they visited Walt Disney World in Florida, learning about the history of Walt Disney and his famous company, working a math problem to help teachers purchase Mickey Mouse-shaped donuts, watching a parade and writing a poem about Disney. Ms. Knight wrote about her favorite ride, It’s a Small World. This Friday, students will take their next field trip — this time into space.

The Springs School Spirit Meet team has also planned a parade of cars in support of students and community members for Friday, May 1, between 10 a.m. and noon. The route will begin at Springs School, travel down Church Lane to Woodbine, then to Gardiner Avenue to Fort Pond Boulevard, and finally into Clearwater Beach before looping back to Maidstone Beach for families not on the route. Springs School administrators remind families to maintain safe social distancing and to use facial masks and gloves when out in public.

In Hampton Bays, COVID-19 is not preventing the Hampton Bays High School science research students from presenting at the school’s seventh annual science research symposium; the school will host a virtual symposium on Thursday, April 23, at 7 p.m. via the Hampton Bays School District’s Facebook page.

During the virtual symposium, the seniors, under the direction of science research teacher Dr. Stephanie Forsberg, will present their findings on a wide variety of topics, including those related to diabetes, influenza and risk factors associated with elbow injuries.

“These students have worked diligently on their research, and it is so important for them to showcase that work,” said Dr. Forsberg.

Additionally, on Thursday, May 7, at 7 p.m., the district will host virtual research poster presentations by students in grades 9-11 via the district’s Facebook page.

In Sag Harbor, Pierson Middle School students posted a YouTube video thanking healthcare professionals and the staff at Stony Brook Southampton Hospital. Students recorded their thank-you messages, made posters and drafted letters to make sure these dedicated workers know that their personal sacrifice and tireless efforts are reaching a grateful community.

Connecting students with mentors was the goal of the i-tri girls this past weekend. The nonprofit held its fifth annual Mentoring Day on Saturday. Traditionally held at East Hampton Middle School, this i-tri program went virtual, with women from a number of different professions meeting with girls in the i-tri program. This Saturday’s event was attended by over 120 people, including 50 mentors from across the country and i-tri girls from Montauk to Mastic-Shirley.

The Children’s Museum of the East End in Bridgehampton is also working to provide resources for students and to help mitigate the educational, emotional and nutritional impacts of COVID-19 on its families.

“I am very proud of how CMEE’s staff has come together to continue ensuring we serve the vital needs of families on the East End,” said Steve Long, the museum’s president. “Fulfilling the museum’s mission to serve all children regardless of background or ability and build strong connections in the East End Community has never been more important.”

The museum’s programming, including for its Spanish-speaking families, continues virtually via cmee.org. Each week, Leah Oppenheimer, CMEE’s director of community outreach and a trained social worker, hosts science, coding, ESL, family and literacy programs on Zoom. In addition, Ms. Oppenheimer and Liz Bard, CMEE’s director of education, are facilitating sensory-friendly programming for families with children on the autism spectrum and with sensory processing disorders. These classes are often the only opportunity families have to communicate and interact with anyone beyond their immediate circle.

In additional to educational programming, Museum educators have employed Zoom to host weekly support groups to help families share coping strategies.

While the museum isn’t able to address every need during the crisis, it has focused on a primary concern: food insecurity. When CMEE surveyed dozens of families who participate in its outreach programming, it discovered that over 85 percent had lost their jobs and didn’t have enough money for groceries. To help families feed their children and alleviate stress on the already inundated food pantries, CMEE is working with other nonprofits to set up a “pop-up” food pantry at the museum for 30 to 50 families every week.

Food insecurity is being addressed by different groups across the South Fork.

Blaze Church, at 50 Bell Avenue in Flanders, will be distributing non-perishable items and other supplies to residents in need on Thursday, April 30, from 1 to 2 p.m. Guests can follow the signs marked “Free Groceries,” and upon arriving at the church, volunteers will place two bags of groceries in the trunk or back seat of the vehicle. All volunteers will be wearing PPE and supplies will be distributed on a first come, first served basis. Anyone who wants to donate or volunteer can visit blazechurch.org/serve for more information.

Temple Adas Israel in Sag Harbor announced this week that its Social Justice Committee has stepped up to aid OLA’s efforts to address food insecurity on the East End. SJC co-chairs Alyssa Peak and Andrea Klausner have rallied over 20 volunteers. Volunteers sign up to fill families’ weekly grocery shopping lists. To date, the group has “adopted” three families and that number is expected to grow as volunteers donate their time.

Goods can be dropped off at the synagogue — at the corner of Elizabeth Street and Atlantic Avenue — by volunteers on assigned days and will then be delivered to designated families. The Temple is also looking at how to allow financial contributions to be made. For now, they can be sent to the Temple through Rabbi Dan Geffen’s discretionary fund.

For more information, email lugeffen@gmail.com.

The East Hampton Food Pantry continues to serve a growing list of clients from Montauk to Wainscott and continues to request those who can donate to the pantry through its website, easthamptonfoodpantry.org.

That website has been revamped thanks to Blumenfeld + Fleming, a Montauk firm that designed the new site for the pantry during this time of need.

And while we all took time to celebrate Earth Day in our own ways this week, unfortunately, some celebrations could not go on. The Concerned Citizens of Montauk announced its Great Montauk Cleanup, scheduled for this Saturday, April 25, is cancelled amid reports of overcrowding of local beaches and parks in Montauk. CCOM says it hopes to schedule another community cleanup event later this fall. For more information, contact CCOM at info@preservemontauk.org.