2021 HAPPY NEW YEAR to all our readers
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Rockville Centre
HERALD 2020
YEAR IN REVIEW
DECEMBER 31, 2020 - JANUARY 6, 2021
What’s
VOL. 32 NO. 1
Going ‘above and beyond’
INSIDE
By Jill Nossa jnossa@liherald.com
A
Courtesy Molloy College Nursing Association xx/Herald
The Molloy Nursing Association gave xx back to the community. Page 0
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Jill Nossa/Herald xx/Herald
South Side High held a socially disxx tant graduation at Nassau Coliseum. Page 0
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Christina Daly/Herald xx/Herald
Congregation B’nai Sholom-Beth xx David welcomed a new rabbi. Page 0
s businesses in Rockville Centre shut down in March, Michelle James Wettstein took action. On March 18, days into the lockdown ordered by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Wettstein formed a Facebook group called “Support for Local Businesses & Frontline Workers,” and had more than 700 members within the first five days. The group grew to more than 1,500 over the next few months, and provided support to struggling businesses as well as workers on the front lines of the battle against the coronavirus who were stretched thin. Using Facebook, Wettstein used monetary donations from the community to buy meals from local restaurants, which were then delivered to essential workers. Though the group has since been renamed “Support for Local Everything,” it is still going strong, and because of her efforts, the Herald is proud to name Wettstein its 2020 Person of the Year. “During the outbreak of Covid and during its peak, Michelle orchestrated an incredible effort to care for our community’s front-line and essential workers,” Katie Preston, who became familiar with Wettstein through the Facebook group, said.“Her effort provided thousands of meals to our hospital workers, police, emergency services, grocery store staff and pharmacists. By organizing countless efforts, Michelle helped us, the RVC community, care for our essential workers during the most challenging days.” “So many people wanted to help support our first responders and medical workers, but we didn’t know how,” Preston added.“She was the one who enabled a lot of us to support those people. She went above and beyond.” At the beginning, Wettstein said, she thought the effort would last a week or two, and she never expected the group
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NEWS
MICHELLE JAMES WETTSTEIN
‘
S
he doesn’t stand still.’
MICHELLE ZANGARI
1,097
COMMUNITY UPDATE
Rockville Centre
to attract so much support. A 44-year-old mother of three, she coordinated the food orders, payments and deliveries to staff at local essential businesses, making sure ev-
Infections as of Dec. 28
FOR BREAKING go to liherald.com
HERALD PERSON OF THE YEAR
Infections as of Dec. 21 940
ery shift of hospital workers was covered and honoring requests for deliveries to specific units. She implemented a rule to limit exposure to the virus: Someone with access to the hospital had to pick up the food from her house. She took the deliveries from restaurants, spruced them up by adding gift baskets and thank-you notes, and left them on her front porch for pickup. By including gift cards with the deliveries, she supported nonessential businesses as well. Wettstein’s face painting and entertainment business, the ArtFull Experience, was among the many that were forced to shut down, so she took her effort further by helping to keep the magic of holidays alive for those who didn’t have the time, or resources, to do it themselves. She assembled Easter baskets for the children of front-line workers, and organized flower deliveries for Mother’s Day. She decorated the yards of essential workers whose children were having birthdays. She created another Facebook group,“Frontline Celebrations,” in May, offering free services to families of front-line workers. The group is now known as “Sneaky Signs and Celebrations.” In early December, Wettstein changed the name of her original group to “Support For Local Everything,” writing in the description,“After months and months of the pandemic continuing, we are still continuing to help by supporting local businesses and families in need due to the pandemic or life changing illnesses.” Rockville Centre resident Michelle Zangari has known Wettstein for 16 years. They have children the same ages, and have crossed paths at various events in Continued on page 2 Courtesy Michelle James Wettstein
Michelle James Wettstein has worked tirelessly to support others this year.