Norwich receives masks as part of Rotary Million Mask Challenge.
Norwich — Norwich Sunrise Rotary President Carrie Szymanski stacked small boxes, each containing 50 masks, onto a conference room table at City Hall on Monday to show what a donation of 1,750 masks to the mayor’s office and Norwich Human Services looks like.
After some photos with city and Sunrise Rotary volunteers, the small boxes of masks went back into their larger boxes to be distributed to service agencies and elderly housing complexes in the city to help combat the recent spike in COVID-19 cases in Norwich.
The donation to the city was part of the Million Mask Challenge, launched by East Hampton Rotarian Ted Rossi and the Rossi Family Foundation. Rotaries throughout New England are distributing the masks, donated by the Rossi Foundation, to first responders, human services agencies and groups that work with vulnerable populations, including the elderly, homeless and people with health risks.
In the spring, Rotaries donated 200,000 masks, and in the current fall distribution, a truck delivered 800,000 masks to Rotary clubs for local distributions.
Szymanski delivered 1,500 masks to Mayor Peter Nystrom on Monday and another 1,250 to Lee- Ann Gomes, director of Norwich Human Services, who also is a member of Norwich Sunrise Rotary. Sunrise Rotary members Norwich Alderwoman Stacy Gould and retired city Building Official James Troeger attended the delivery to City Hall on Monday.
Another 1,250 will be delivered to the St. Vincent de Paul Place soup kitchen, Szymanski said.
Nystrom said he will deliver the masks provided to his office to senior housing complexes throughout the city, run by the Norwich Housing Authority and privately owned facilities, including Wequonnoc Village in Taftville, the Johnson Home at the Norwichtown Green and other facilities.
Gomes added that her office will make sure vulnerable populations, including local homeless residents, receive masks.
Szymanski said since the start of the Million Mask Challenge in June, Norwich has received 5,000 masks, some personal protective equipment suits and face shields. The June masks and protective equipment were distributed to the Norwich Recreation Department, the Norwich Community Development Corp. and St. Vincent de Paul Place.
Szymanski said the new delivery to St. Vincent will be done “on a sunny day,” since the interior of the facility is mostly closed and hands out take-out meals to patrons. Masks will be placed in the take-out meal bags.