LI's Big Duck Lit Up Purple To Honor Emergency Nurses
FLANDERS, NY — Front line heroes have were honored this week as the Big Duck in Flanders was illuminated in purple to thank emergency nurses for their dedication.
Southampton Town officials gathered Wednesday to mark the Emergency Nurses Association's celebration of Emergency Nurses Week, which takes place on October 11 through October 17.
Several nurses from a number of Suffolk County hospitals were present as the Duck was lit in purple by County Executive Steve Bellone, Southampton Town Supervisor Jay Schneiderman, Southampton Town board members Rick Martel and Tommy John Schiavoni, New York State Assemblyman Fred Thiele and Suffolk County Legislator Bridget Fleming.
Also, in honor of the nurses' dedication, the town board awarded a proclamation to President of the Suffolk County Nurses Association Mary DaSilva.
"The Emergency Nurses Week 2020 theme does more than just show appreciation and gratitude. The theme, 'Heart of Gold', helps ensure that others know about emergency nurses. This week of recognition helps others to see the heart that emergency nurses bring to their hospitals and patients every day," town officials said.
"With the challenges that we have faced in 2020 due to the horrible effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is more important than ever to take time out to recognize the amazing contribution to the well-being of our community that emergency nurses make," town officials added. "These everyday heroes are there for members of our communities when things are at their worst and times are bad. They have been on the front lines of the COVID response."
Town officials said they were proud to serve as the home of Stony Brook Southampton Hospital, as well as of the partnerships that exist with Peconic Bay Medical Center and Eastern Long Island Hospital.
"Health services on the East End of Long Island are second to none and this is in large part due to the dedicated, caring, talented professionals at our area hospitals," officials said.
Since 1989, the Emergency Nurses Association has recognized the second Wednesday in October as Emergency Nurses Day, a day honoring emergency nurses for their commitment to patient care, town officials explained.
"In 2001, ENA expanded the celebration to devote an entire week to honoring emergency nurses, because one day is simply not enough to recognize all contributions made by emergency nurses," officials said.
This article originally appeared on the Southampton Patch
