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Merrick
Vol. 24 No. 8
Volunteers help seniors get vaccinated if more doses became available, but I was told I would have to start the process over again,” “I would go on the computer she said. “It was arduous.” and be in a sweat,” Lettie Werbel The Werbels’ luck changed recalled. when they got an email from Last month, Werbel’s hus- Congregation Ohav Sholom, in band, Steve, 82, spent six days in Merrick, directing them to a the hospital after contracting Google Docs form on the synaCovid-19. The gogue’s website. severity of his case There, congregants panicked Lettie, put their informashe said, so when tion into a dataSteve became eligibase, which volunble for the vaccine, teers use to secure “I wanted to make vaccination apsure that he got it.” pointments for But scheduling seniors 65 and an appointment older. (People in proved to be diffit h at a g e g ro u p cult. The Merrick q u a l i f y fo r t h e couple spent weeks Covid-19 vaccine looking for availunder Phase 1b of able time slots shAWN GRoss the state’s vaccinaonline, an effort Congregant, tion program.) t h a t w a s o f t e n Ohav Sholom “It was somestalled when a webthing that had to be site crashed or a done, and we just phone line was busy. Lettie, 75, did it,” said congregant Shawn was scheduled to receive her Gross, who spearheaded the inifirst dose of the vaccine from a tiative. Having helped his friends Northwell Health facility in who qualified under Phase 1a Woodmere, but the appointment secure appointments in midwas canceled with two weeks to December, Gross learned how to go. navigate the online scheduling “Because I was already in the systems, which he described as system, I called to see when I could get another appointment Continued on page 4
By AlYssA sEIDmAN aseidman@liherald.com
t
Courtesy Boy Scout Troop 186
JUlIA KIRPAlANI, lEFt, of Merrick, beautified the grounds of the VA Northport Hospital after collecting donations of toiletries and clothing for veterans.
Teens among first female Eagle Scouts in the nation By ANDREW GARCIA agarcia@liherald.com
Boy Scout Troop 186 of Wantagh made history last week when three of its 28 female members rose to the Eagle Scout rank, scouting’s highest honor, achieved by only 4 percent of scouts. They are among the very first female Eagle Scouts in the nation. Amritha Jacob, of Bellmore, Julia Kirpalani, of Merrick, and Lea Feiner, of
Levittown, were officially awarded the rank at a special ceremony, known as a Court of Honor. The trio, along with Scoutmaster Mike Sarlo, gathered at the Theodore Roosevelt Executive and Legislative Building on Feb. 11 to receive congratulatory certificates from County Executive Laura Curran. “It’s such a great honor,” Kirpalani said. “I never expected that in my youth I’d have the opportunity to do this — I thought maybe my
daughters might be able to do this. To be part of that change was unexpected, but it’s been an amazing opportunity and an amazing leap of faith.” “Getting to Eagle is rooted in service — that’s the whole point: to learn leadership and dedication to your community,” Jacob said. “Being able to say that we have achieved that highest level of service in scouting is a huge honor, and it means so much to me that we get to be an example for Continued on page 3
here were some nights we’d book 45 appointments in a matter of two hours.