Volunteers make vaccination clinics possible in Niagara County

From directing traffic to putting shots in arms, volunteers aiding the Niagara County Department of Health are helping to get people the COVID-19 vaccine.

NEW THIS MORNINGIN NIAGARA COUNTY--ONE CLINIC ISDOING ABOUT 850VACCINATIONS ADAY --THANKS TO AGROUP OFVOLUNTEERSTHIS GROUPVACCINATES UP TO45 PEOPLE--EVERY 20MINUTES--AT THE "KENANCENTER INLOCKPORT".IT'S SOMETHING"NIAGARA COUNTY'SHEALTH DIRECTOR"SAYS:COULDN'T BE DONEWITHOUT THISHELP.7 EYEWITNESSNEWS REPORTEROLIVIA PROIASHOWS US--HOWTHIS BUFFALOSTRONG SPIRIT ISHELPING IN THEFIGHT AGAINSTCOVID.FROM DIRECTINGTRAFFIC.SOT 00:03LINDA: WE AREHAPPY JUST TO DOWHATEVER ISNEEDED.TO PUTTING SHOTSIN ARMS.SOT: 00:03ROSANNE: I WANTTHE COMMUNITYTO BE HEALTHYAGAIN.THESE NIAGARACOUNTYVOLUNTEERS AREHELPING TO PEOPLEVACCINATED.SOT 00:07WES: WE DECIDEDWE COULD EITHERSIT ON THESIDELINES OR BEPART OF THESOLUTION.WESLEY PICKREIGNIS 65-YEAR-OLD ARETIRED SCHOOLPRINCIPAL.SOT 00:11WESLEY: I WANTUS TO HEAL.

IWANT US TO GETBACK TO NORMAL.

IREALLY FEEL THATBEING HERE HELPSUS DO THAT AS ACOMMUNITY AND IWANT TO BE ABLETO HELP ANY WAY ICAN.ROSANNE NOWSPENDS HER DAYSWITH HERGRANDKIDS.

BUTHAS COME OUT OFRETIREMENT TOHELP.

SHE WASONCE A NURSE.SOT 00:15ROSANNE: IF THISIS THE WAY I CANHELP TO GET OURCOMMUNITIESSAFE AGAIN, THENI'M HAPPY.

WHEN ILEAVE HERE,EVERY DAY IVOLUNTEER, I'MTIRED, BUT I GOHOME WITH ASENSE OF PRIDE, ASENSE OFSATISFACTION.DANIEL AND LINDAHAVE BOTHRETIRED FROM THEEDUCATIONINDUSTRY.

NOW,THEY SPEND THEIR70S GIVING BACK.SOT 00:05LINDA: THE LITTLEBIT YOU CAN DO ITHINK ISEXTREMELYWORTHWHILE.

THISIS EXTREMELYWORTHWHILE.SOT 00:10DANIEL: I'D LIKE TOTHINK MYDIRECTING OF THEPEOPLE REALLYMAKES ITPOSSIBLE TOVACCINATE MOREAND MORE PEOPLEEACH TIME.AND THAT'SEXACTLY WHAT ITDOES.SOT 00:10STAPLETON: WECAN'T DO THISWITHOUTVOLUNTEERS.

NODOUBT ABOUT IT.WE HAVE A LOT OFGREAT STAFF ANDGREAT PARTNERSBUT ONE OF THEMOST IMPORTANTPARTS IS THESEVOLUNTEERSBECAUSE WECOULDN'T DO ITWITHOUT THEM.THESEVOLUNTEERSSPEND 2-3 DAYS AWEEK ATVACCINATIONCLINICS, DESPITETHE RISKS.SOT 00:11LINDA: IN JUNE IHAD A HEARTATTACK.

A VERYSERIOUS HEARTATTACK.

I WOULDBE CONSIDEREDTRULY AT RISK.YET, I DON'T FEELTHAT THIS ISRISKY.

WE AREBEING VERYCAREFUL.THE VOLUNTEERSARE ALSOPROVIDINGSOMETHING ADOCTOR CANTPRESCRIBE -SOMETHING THATHAS NOTHING TO DOWITH MEDICINE.SOT 00:03WESLEY: PART OFOUR JOB IS TOMAKE PEOPLEFEELCOMFORTABLE.SOT 00:14LINDA: I LIKE TOMAKE THEM FEELCOMFORTABLEAND TALK TOTHEM.

I THINK ITMAKES ADIFFERENCE.

IREALLY THINKPEOPLE FEELMORECOMFORTABLEWHEN YOU TALKTO THEM AND GIVETHEM SOMEKINDNESS.TO FIND OUT HOWYOU CAN BECOME AVOLUNTEER - VISITOUR WEBSITEWKBW.COM.

INNIAGARA COUNTY,OP, 7EWN.FAMILIESSTATEWIDE--ARE "FED UP"--WITH A COVID-19PROTOCOL--MEANT TO KEEPTHEIR FAMILIESSAFEALMOST A YEARAGO --GOVERNOR CUOMOSIGNED ANEXECUTIVE ORDER--LIMITINGVISITATIONS TONURSING HOMES.BUT MEMBERS OFTHE GROUP"ESSENTIAL CAREVISITOR" SAY --THIS ORDER IS"MORE HARMFUL"--THEM SOMEKINDNESS.