BRONX TIMES REPORTER, JAN. 1-7, 2021 13
letters & comments oped
Peter C. Del-Debbio
I wish to provide a special
note of thanks to the Hells
Angels NYC Chapter, and
their generous Thanksgiving
donation.The Hells Angels
Motorcycle Club was formed
after World War II, as a club
to provide a cohesive bond
and camaraderie for the motorcycling
veterans returning
home. This has not been
forgotten by the men
and women of the
Hells Angels NYC Chapter.
Through their generous
donation of eight turkeys to
the American Legion Bronx
County Organization, we
were able to provide them to
The American Legion Theodore
Korony Post 253, for
their annual Turkey Drive
which supports veteran families
in shelters in the Bronx.
Additionally, another fi ve
turkeys were donated to the
veterans of the Co-Op City
Post 1871 that were distributed
to veteran families by
their commander. The Hells
Angels NYC Chapter have
been a friend to The American
Legion, and we look forward
to their support in the
years ahead.Respectfully,
Peter C. Del-Debbio
The American Legion
Commander
Bronx County & Post 156
LET US HEAR FROM YOU
Letters to the editor are welcome from all readers. They should be addressed
care of this newspaper to Laura Guerriero, Publisher, the Bronx Times Reporter,
3604 E. Tremont Ave., Bronx, NY 10465, or e-mail to bronxtimes@cnglocal.com.
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right to edit all submissions.
BY LISA NEWCOMB, EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR, EMPIRE STATE
Association of Assisted Living
From the earliest days of
planning for the development
and distribution of an effi cacious
COVID-19 vaccination,
those working in our nation’s
congregate care settings for
seniors, including assisted
living communities, were prioritized
as fi rst in line to be
vaccinated, and rightfully so:
the population they serve has
been universally identifi ed as
among the most vulnerable.
In the fi rst months of the pandemic,
a common criticism
was that there was not enough
attention or resources given
to long term care settings, including
assisted living, and
there was outsized attention
paid to hospitals. Whether it
be PPE, staffi ng or fi nancial
assistance, the hospitals were
always fi rst in line. Perhaps,
to some extent, that was appropriate,
but not to the detriment
of other vulnerable sectors.
That should have been
a valuable lesson learned as
adult care facilities/assisted
living residences continue to
suffer from a lack of resources
and a potentially high incidence
of COVID among the
frailest of our seniors.
That’s why we are baffl
ed that now, weeks into
the vaccination process, not
one assisted living staff person
or resident has received
the vaccine. Yes, we understand
that there is limited
supply, and the decision has
been made to vaccinate other
populations fi rst. But how
is it that funeral directors,
hospital discharge planners,
fi refi ghters and other frontline
and congregate care setting
staff have begun receiving
the vaccine and assisted
living workers serving very
frail elderly residents have
not? More shocking are recent
reports that hospitals
are hoarding the vaccine for
all their staff and rejecting
pleas to offer it to other critical
health care workers in
the community.
This is unconscionable
and illogical considering the
vulnerable resident population
served. Assisted living
residents and staff deserve
better. Vaccines should be
made available to staff immediately
and residents as
soon thereafter as the supply
grows. Otherwise, the state
unnecessarily risks a repeat
of the large number of nursing
home resident deaths that
occurred in the beginning
months of the pandemic.
Thank you so very much
for printing the picture and
article about our latest Battalion
from Fort Drum in
Afghanistan so the community
knows that the last
batch of boxes arrived there
4 days before Christmas. I
am sure all of you realized
I made a typo error when I
wrote that John Cummings
and Mark Gjonaj gave a donation
to pay for 100 boxes
at $20 each. So that total was
$2,000 from each (not $200 as
I had typed). The commander
said we made so many of them
very happy to know there are
such wonderful people thinking
of them.
More items are coming
in and I am preparing the
boxes until we get enough
postage to mail them. Any
amount is helpful. All checks
to be make out to Theo. Korony
American Legion post
Auxiliary & the mailing
address is: Theo. Korony
American Legion post Auxiliary,
PO Box 833, Throggs
Neck 10465. Or, as in the
past you can drop off items,
cash, or a check to St. Benedict’s
Rectory, 2969 Otis
ave. Please label the envelope
or package to Cathy Praino/
Troops. Again, thank you all
so very much. Please be safe
and keep our military and all
of us in your prayers. Love
and Prayers, Aunt Cathy
Praino.
Cathy Praino
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