In New London, Rotary distributes some of 1 million donated masks
New London — Volunteers offloaded boxes containing thousands of masks at Parade Plaza in New London on Wednesday, the last stop in the Rotary Million Mask Challenge Tour.
The personal protective equipment is bound for front-line workers, including first responders and health care workers, and the region’s most vulnerable residents. The large box truck carrying the masks already had made stops this week in Bridgeport, New Haven and East Hartford. Masks were distributed through Rotary clubs in all six New England states.
Waterford Rotary Club Co-President Anne Ogden said the effort brought together numerous Rotary clubs and hundreds of volunteers to answer the call and “is what Rotarians do. Recognize a need, react, respond and repeat.”
“Our motto is service above self,” New London Rotary President Alex Marku said. “And throughout our state, Rotary clubs mobilized to provide masks, gowns and face shields. They donated food to stock the shelves and food pantries, soup kitchens and children’s food programs.”
Those on hand to collect the donated masks included representatives from Ledyard, New London, Waterford, Stonington, Groton, Norwich, Colchester and East Lyme.
Norwich Mayor Peter Nystrom said the donation is timely, considering the recent spike in COVID-19 cases in his city and across the region. “We’re working in earnest to bring those numbers down but you can’t do that without the right supplies,” he said.
Lisa Cappuccio, Waterford’s director of senior services, agreed: “I represent a very vulnerable population, seniors. What you have done today with this mask distribution is provide safety, comfort and a tremendous amount of peace of mind. Thank you very much.”
Sate Sen. Heather Somers, R-Groton, who was among a group of legislators and town leaders attending Wednesday’s event, said the donations were an important element in the fight against the pandemic: “wear a mask, wash your hands and socially distance.”
In New London, the masks benefit the Visiting Nurse Association of Southeastern Connecticut, Safe Futures, New London Senior Center and Hispanic Alliance.
The venture started earlier this year here in Connecticut when Ted Rossi, an East Hampton Rotarian who runs Rossi Lumber and the Rossi Family Foundation, approached former Rotary District Governor Jack Solomon with a donation of 30,000 masks. The donated masks, whose numbers later grew to 200,000, initially were distributed to organizations across the southern portion of Connecticut.
“Ted says, 'Let’s do a million.' I laughed,” Solomon said. “Then we came up with a plan.”
The Rotary Million Mask Challenge Tour was the result.
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