The process of Monroe County distributing more than one million masks to local residents began on Saturday, with towns and villages helping pass them out to people who lined up in cars on an unseasonably chilly and at times, snowy day.
Among the towns taking part, Irondequoit, where both the Town Supervisor, Dave Seeley, and his predecessor in that position, the current Monroe County Executive Adam Bello, took part, handing out masks during the midday.
Seeley said the operation seemed to go very efficiently, and he was glad for a big turnout, saying that, “It means people are ready to reopen society and do so in a way that doesn’t jeopardize and threaten public health.”
Bello was pleased that a lot of people in the county are following guidelines about physical distancing and wearing face masks in public.
“I don’t think it’s an accident that our region is doing so much better, I think, compared to other regions around the state and the country because we’ve really had a coming together. The notion that we’re protecting people around us is why this is working so well, “ Bello said.
Town and village officials in many towns in Monroe County took part in the mask distribution on Saturday, including Brighton Supervisor Bill Moehle also thanked people in his town who donated non-perishable food to the Brighton Food Cupboard, and he noted the Cupboard’s van “was full to the brim,” by about 11:00 a.m. Moehle said the Food Cupboard's van was filled twice and he thanked residents for their generosity.
Monroe County Director of Public Health, Dr. Michael Mendoza, who is a Brighton resident, also helped hand out masks on Saturday.
There will be another mask distribution in Monroe County on Wednesday, May 13. Details will be available at monroecounty.gov
Here is video from the mask distribution in Irondequoit by WXXI photojournalist Max Schulte:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5x2Wd_IUC5c&feature=youtu.be
