Ceremony Marks Two Years Since the First COVID-19 Case Was Identified in Westchester County
View full event here: https://youtu.be/KYAVqt3NiCY
To commemorate the two-year anniversary of Westchester County's first confirmed coronavirus case, a ceremony was held March 3 in the lobby of the Michaelian Office Building.
The lobby is one of two locations for the County's "Ribbons of Remembrance" memorial, with another location at Lenoir Preserve in Yonkers. The Ribbons of Remembrance memorial in both locations, is a place to attach ribbons in memory of loved ones lost to COVID-19. To date, the County has lost 2,687 lives to the virus.
County Executive George Latimer said, in the past two years, Westchester residents have rallied together but are still in many ways grieving and healing, “What today is about is remembering those we have lost not as merely an integer or statistic, but as human beings and the valued members of our community that they were. The past two years have been filled with low points and dark days but we must push on and we must believe that we will beat back this pandemic with vaccinations and smart choices.”
The event started at 2p.m. with an interfaith prayer service led by Reverend Tim Dalton, Rabbi Howard Goldsmith and Imam Shaffieq Chace. Music was provided by the White Plains High School String Ensemble and remarks were made by Latimer, Westchester County Board of Legislators Chairwoman Catherine Borgia, Westchester County Health Commissioner Dr. Sherlita Amler, Westchester County Youth Bureau Executive Director Dr. DaMia Harris-Madden and Poet Laureate B.K. Fischer
Deputy County Executive Ken Jenkins said: “March 3 is a day may of us would like to forget, but it is a day we must all remember. It was at that point that we, as a society, changed - but we live to tell the tale. While we have had incredible loss, we have also seen our incredible strength and devotion to one another. Each one of the lives lost will never be forgotten.”
Westchester County Board Chairwoman Catherine Borgia said: “We hope and pray that the darkest days of the COVID-19 pandemic are behind us. We look forward to a new life of celebrating milestones face to face, not over Zoom; learning, working, and having fun again together in the flesh. But we know we are forever changed -- and that's especially true for those of us who lost loved ones to this deadly scourge. Today, and every day, we remember them. We offer our strength to those left with a hole in their lives and pain in their hearts. We also have seen the cracks COVID exposed in society, cracks we must work to repair. We commit ourselves to continuing vigilance against future variants, to helping families and businesses recover, to supporting those still suffering with long COVID, and to providing mental health support especially for our children. The pandemic has reminded us that the journey from darkness to light is one we bear best when we make it together.”
Reverend Tim Dalton said: “We remember them today with faith. We give thanks for them with hope that we will be reunited. And we honor them with our love and life."
Rabbi Howard Goldsmith said: “It is an honor to participate in this important moment of memory for our county. While things are safer now than they have ever been, we are still losing dear members of our community to this awful disease. Jewish tradition reminds us that protecting life is our first obligation as children of God. As we begin to live life more normally, we must always balance our freedoms with our obligation to keep others in our community safe.”
Imam Shaffieq Chace said: “The lesson we all should learn from this virus is just how the world came together and unite to fight it by coming up with a vaccine in a timeframe that was impossible to accomplish before. This morning it was announced on channel 12 news that if you test positive at your pharmacy you will be able to get the antiviral medication to treat you right there free of charge. What an accomplishment! It shows when UNITED what we can accomplish. If we unite in this way not only in science but in our politics, in our faith and in other ways we can stop so many other viruses like inequality, racism, poverty and even what’s happening in Eastern Europe and elsewhere.”
Westchester County Health Commissioner Dr. Sherlita Amler “March 3 is a difficult day as we remember the thousands of people we have lost to this devastating disease. Two years later, we have learned first-hand just how important vaccinations and boosters are to preventing severe disease, hospitalization and death. This anniversary should serve as a reminder to everyone to take their health seriously. Every life is precious, and we do not want to see one more family suffer a loss to COVID-19.”
Executive Director Dr. DaMia Harris-Madden said: “I applaud our County Executive, Elected Officials, and Community Leaders for acknowledging the trauma and hurt experienced by those who have been adversely affected by COVID-19. Just as COVID failed to see genetics, race, religion, age, or economics, today’s ceremony is not for the homogenous, rather the entire community. Every day we are putting one foot in front of the other, reconciling with the reality of prolonged grief and loss. However, today, we take the opportunity to publicly honor those that we will continue to hold dear in our hearts.”
Poet Laureate B.K. Fischer said: “Poetry can help us find words for loss and uncertainty in a difficult time, and I’m glad to be here to remember those we have lost and those who have worked so hard to keep us safe.”
The program concluded at 3p.m. with a moment of silence and ringing of the bells at houses of worship.