City of Newburgh

Meals on Wheels responds to COVID-19

By Dae Vitale
Posted 3/26/20

Greetings from River City. This coronavirus reminds us how connected we humans are, how vulnerable, and also how strong and courageous. Pray for each other, the sick, the dying, the workers without …

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City of Newburgh

Meals on Wheels responds to COVID-19

Posted

Greetings from River City. This coronavirus reminds us how connected we humans are, how vulnerable, and also how strong and courageous. Pray for each other, the sick, the dying, the workers without work, the businesses in dire straits, the families who in many cases are spending more time together than they ever have before and have to find ways to make it work.
Pray for those who are on the front lines of giving care to the sick and for those who are helping others in so many important ways--that they may all be spared this disease in doing their good works.
Pray that this will soon pass and that we may be stronger than we ever were, that we learned what was really important in life as individuals, as a family, as a community. In prayer, we find solace, comfort, hope--an easing of mind, heart and soul—we find we are not alone.

In response to the corona virus (COVID-19) pandemic, Meals on Wheels of Greater Newburgh (MOW) has changed its longtime procedures. On Monday, March 9, MOW began issuing disposable vinyl gloves to its volunteers who deliver the organization’s fresh, nutritious meals to those unable to cook for themselves in the City of Newburgh and the Towns of Newburgh and New Windsor.
Rather than meeting face-to-face at the door or inside a home, volunteers are now leaving the meals on the clients’ doorknobs to protect volunteers and clients alike from possible exposure to COVID-19. The volunteers then phone each client from their cell phones with a friendly “hello” and let them know that their meal has arrived and is on their doorknob.

MOW’s kitchen staff and volunteers have always used disposable gloves and will continue to do so.
Additionally, MOW on March 17 delivered an extra bag to each of its clients. It contained non-perishable foods donated by patients of Lane McEwen, DMD, a dentist in the Town of Newburgh, along with other purchased non-perishables. The items included canned soups; cups of macaroni and cheese; apple sauce; jars of peanut butter, and more.
“We are very grateful to Dr. McEwen and her patients,” said MOW President Carole McDermott. “In this troubling time of illness, it’s heartwarming to see people pulling together to help one another in this way.”
MOW’s meal recipients on March 17 also received a special St. Patrick’s Day meal of corned beef, cabbage, red potatoes, baby carrots, rye rolls from Torino bakery and a “surprise dessert,” according to McDermott.

In checking with Elise Goldberg, Manager of Washington’s Headquarters State Historic Site, I was told that their grounds will be open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. They want to keep the grounds open at least part of the day, so that people can have somewhere to go during these days of confinement due to the coronavirus. They will do that as long as there is staff available.

Their Museum, Hasbrouck House and Tower of Victory tours are temporarily suspended. The grounds, with its almost 7 acres of green space and magnificent vistas of the Hudson River and Highlands, is open for all to enjoy.
The Newburgh’s Volunteer Fair scheduled for May, to be held on the grounds of WHQ, is postponed and will be rescheduled for later this year. For further information, call (845) 562-1195, and keep watch for further announcement of a new date.


Special happy 87th birthday greetings to Regina Angelo, who celebrates her special day on Mar. 25. Regina, who keeps going, no matter what, for example a bad fall on ice in February that broke her nose and a cataract operation a week later, didn’t stop her from her work at the library (the closing of the library will give her a chance to relax a bit, however, knowing Regina, she will find plenty to do, even at home. God bless you, dear Regina on your day and on each and every day of a grand year ahead.
Special 80th birthday greetings to Peter Haight who celebrates his candles and cake day on Mar. 25 Peter has gone through a long bout of health problems, but he has an indomitable spirit and when I called tonight, he sounded grand and was happily enjoying his traditional Friday night pizza. God bless you, dear Peter, on this birthday and may the year ahead be filled with good health and much happiness.

Special birthday greetings go to Carl Aiello, another Mar. 25 candles and cake kid. Carl is a lifelong Newburgher who cares deeply about our city. May this birthday become a happy memory, dear Carl and may the year ahead be filled with every blessing. .

The Mount Saint Mary College Board of Trustees and Mount president Dr. Jason N. Adsit announced on Friday, Mar. 20 that the college will continue hosting classes online for the rest of the semester due to concerns surrounding to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Residence halls will remain closed for the remainder of the semester. The college’s Commencement ceremony, originally scheduled for May 16, will be delayed.
All spring semester events and college-sponsored trips are canceled or postponed. In addition, the Skyline Conference recently canceled spring sports for the 2020 season. Initially, students, faculty, and staff were scheduled to return on March 29, with classes resuming March 30. For more information, go to msmc.edu.

To see alerts and all information regarding City Hall’s functioning, go to www.cityofnewburgh-ny.gov.

From the Staff and Board of the Downing Film Center: “We value the health and safety of our patrons, staff, and volunteers. Despite having recently implemented precautionary measures, we believe the best course of action at this time is to temporarily suspend operations as of Monday, Mar. 16.”

A way of being--“Spread love everywhere you go, let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.” --Mother Saint Teresa of Calcutta.
As always, I close with my prayers for God’s blessings on your heads, my sears and on the heads of all our brothers and sisters in this world, from the youngest in the womb to the oldest on earth.