Purchase Cares
The Purchase College ethos has always embraced putting empathy into action, so we wanted to share stories of our community members responding to these extraordinary circumstances by mobilizing their talents and resources in whatever ways possible to make a difference.
Alison Hublard Hershman ’83, Murielle Etienne Smith ’95, and Elise Bender ’12 (theatre design/technology), all on the Costume Shop staff, have been manufacturing surgical masks for use by medical professionals. They delivered 30 to White Plains Hospital and are working on additional ones.
In the Scenic and Prop Shops, Drew Wimmer and Joe Dotts have donated their store of 200 masks—the sought-after N95 masks students normally use when working with fumes or particulate—to Health Services on campus and to White Plains Hospital.
Nancy Diaz, office/business manager for Communications and Creative Services, was sewing masks for Montefiore Nyack Hospital with Nyack Mask Makers.
Together they donated several thousand masks created using a three-layer elastic supported pattern per a specific request from the Doctor and Director of Infection Prevention at Montefiore for masks as close to Grade II PPE guidelines as they could make.
Rebecca Oling, associate librarian, became a community organizer through her local synagogue amassing over 30 volunteers to do various levels of tasks in partnerships with grocery stores and pharmacies to make deliveries to the elderly, immunocompromised and those with COVID. “We are finding that the definition of food insecure is shifting as people with means or those afflicted with COVID can’t even get slots for delivery of items, so we are helping them all.”
They are also helped emergency workers by collecting PPE and donations for food and treats, including mask collection!
Chris Bisignano, athletic director, has been making a lot of grocery runs for his parents, his in-laws, and some older neighbor and friends. “For a while, it was the best part of the day,” he says.
Mike Bocklet, head coach of men’s lacrosse, and his family created home-made thank you banners to hang outside the house in support of local service providers that are still working daily to deliver the mail, pick up garbage, etc. “We are grateful for their commitment to our community,” he says.
Justin Lovell, assistant sports information director, has been making donations to local pet shelters and trying to help small business when he can.
Alexa Haines, financial manager in Athletics, has a certification in personal training and has been offering people at-home workouts to stay on track while gyms are closed.
Sherry Llauger, head athletic trainer in Athletics, has provided delivery service to family and neighbors. “By making routine trips to Costco or BJ’s, it takes a little off their plate,” she says.
Volunteering for Community Cares in partnership with the United Way of Westchester and Putnam, one of our colleagues made hot food deliveries to homebound seniors and those with compromised immune systems and also made grocery deliveries for an emergency food program run by Putnam County, also in collaboration with the United Way.