#LANDMARKSTRONG
In yet another show of support for Landmark, workers get pick-me-up from tow trucks, Jeep rolling rally
In another showing of support for Landmark Medical Center’s role helping to manage the coronavirus pandemic, a caravan of 30 tow truck vehicles and about 150 privately owned Jeeps cruised past the front entrance of hospital Saturday morning where a large group of staff had gathered to wave back in appreciation.
The tow trucks also made a delivery of bottled drinks and water and food and snack items to Landmark’s loading dock intended to make the staff’s breaks a little more pleasant.
Aaron Gallucci of Ronnie’s Towing and Recovery of Warwick said the tribute rally was put together by a number of the state’s towing companies to honor hospitals around the state busy handing the impacts of the coronavirus crisis. The Jeep owners also contributed to the effort to donate food and drink items to the staff, he noted.
“We had one company, North Providence Collision, donate 50 items including Gatorade and bottled water,” Gallucci said.
Mike Krikorian of Jim’s Towing in Pawtucket said the group just wanted to highlight the hospitals’ nurses and staff and “show appreciation for what they are doing for all of us and all the front line workers that are out there.”
The tow truck operators said they were next heading to Fatima Hospital in North Providence and Roger Williams Hospital in Providence for another round of deliveries and support.
The caravan arrived in the city a little after 11 a.m. and was escorted to the hospital by Woonsocket Police cruisers.
Mayor Lisa Baldelli-Hunt, showing up in a mask to grab a photo of the convoy, said she was impressed by the turnout of vehicles, a rally that follows Landmark staff tributes organized the Woonsocket Police Department and also the rescue and fire departments regularly visiting the Cass Avenue-based acute care hospital.
“This was very fitting to have another display of appreciation for the healthcare workers and all the staff at Landmark,” Baldelli-Hunt said.
The tow truck group had contacted Landmark’s Gino Oleas, director of security, and Carolyn Kyle, director of marketing, business development and physician relations, last week to arrange the drop off of some donated items but no one expect the level the of support that showed up on Saturday, the mayor noted.
“Carolyn and I were just talking that we didn’t expect to see so many jeeps but it was really nice because there was a contingent of employees that were out and it’s uplifting,” Baldelli-Hunt said.
“They are here every single day not knowing what they are coming into from the moment they walk in until they leave the end of their shift,” Baldelli-Hunt said.
“And to show that people took the time on their Saturday, on a beautiful day to drive to Woonsocket, to come through, to share drinks and things like that with the employees here, it’s a testament to the type of people we have in our state,” the mayor said. “I think it’s moving, it’s very moving,” she added.
Christine Gesualdi, a Landmark RN, said she was “completely humbled,” by the tribute.
“This is a privilege under these circumstances,” she added.
As for working in the pandemic, Gesualdi said everything has been fine at Landmark.
“Things are going well, we’re still all healthy, the unit is healthy, and we’re still providing great care for our patients,” she said.
Another Landmark RN, Rita Mae Philbin, said the drive-by was a great showing of support for the hospital.
“We have wonderful support from the community and the people who live here. I think it’s fabulous,” Philbin, a Landmark nurse for 39 years, said.
Landmark’s role as a community hospital, a facility operating much like a family itself, has helped the staff remain focused on their work, according to Kate Kiley, a Landmark physical therapist for 20 years.
“Everybody’s supportive, very team like, there is a lot of family stuff going on here,” Kiley said.
“Everyone is supportive and family oriented, and we kind of feel like a family, too, the whole staff together,” Kiley said.
Working in healthcare during a pandemic can be challenging, Philbin said, “but that’s what we went to school for and that is what we love doing – taking care of our patients.”
Kyle said that when she first heard from the tow truck operators, she thought they would be sending just one vehicle to drop off the donated supplies
“Then they called this week and said “we’re coming with 170 vehicles,” Kyle said.
The result was a drop off of boxes and boxes of supplies at the back loading dock where Landmark staff unloaded the donations from the trucks, she noted.
“It was amazing. Just actually very touching,” Kyle said.
“The staff here are working so hard during the pandemic. It is something like this outpouring from the community that really gives everyone a little more bounce to their step,” she said.
As for the hospital’s staff, “Everyone’s doing great,” Kyle said. “We’re still in it and we are really part of the team, we’re Landmark strong for sure,” she said.