Letter to the Editor
Dear Editor,
As fears of the virus and a lack of personal protective equipment for healthcare workers began to swell in our region, new uses for 3D printers began to circulate. Our Associate Head of School Tom “Brody” Broderick quickly jumped into a leadership role, teaming up with local entrepreneurs and teachers to bring together The Northern NY 3D Printing Network, a collaboration between North Country high schools, volunteer printers, residents, and businesses. Forty-five days later, the initiative has concluded at the Innovation Hub at Northwood School on Main St. and we are proud to announce that with the tremendous support of the community of volunteers, 3,000 face shields were made and delivered.
The initiative and 3D printer network spread into three regional hubs of which the Innovation Hub at Northwood School supported the Tri-Lakes, Beekmantown Central School District supplied the Lake Champlain area, and a group of community leaders banded together to manage production for St. Lawrence County. We delivered 1,600+ hospital-grade facial shields to Adirondack Health, CVPH, Claxton-Hepburn, Clifton Fine Medical Center, Samaritan Medical Center in Watertown, Elizabethtown Community Hospital, and Hudson Headwaters Health Network. We delivered 300 first responder-grade face shields to Lake Placid, Keene Valley, Wilmington, Colton Rescue, Essex County Emergency Services, and Warren County Emergency Services. We delivered 650+ first responder grade face shields to nursing homes in Lake Placid, North Creek, Will Rogers at Saranac Lake, and throughout St. Lawrence County through United Helpers. Lastly, we also delivered 125+ face shields of first responder quality to individual groups, alumnae, and or community members. Groups included North Country Life Flight, North Country Life Net, local doctors, Urgent Care of Saranac Lake, Animal Hospitals, and others.
The North Country community came together in a remarkable way. We would like to recognize and thank Tom “Brody” Broderick alongside the members of the core group including Andrea Audi, Brad Rafferty, Jeff Erenstone, Debbie Erenstone, Brian LaValley, Dan Mannix, Nathaniel Horn, Matt Burnett, Sarah Galvin, Marc Galvin, Michael Aldridge, and Darcy Norfolk.
Thank you to all of the printers, printing volunteers, schools, organizations, and businesses that have supported this initiative including Lake Placid School District, Saranac Lake School District, SUNY Canton, St Lawrence-Lewis BOCES, Loreman’s Screenprinting. UPS Store, Compass Printing, Bookstore Plus, Adirondack Foundation, Adirondack Daily Enterprise, NCPR, Sun Community News, Post Star, Paul Strack, Scott Shipley, Cathy Tedford, Bill Short Jared Bandru, Bob Bever, Bob, Jennifer Bourdette, Scott Brightwell, Logan Coggins, David Craig, Terry Fishlock, Calista Fraser, Kaden Jewell, Emma Keilmeier, Kyle Lapan, Aaron Miller, Corey Moussea, Elliot Mousseau, Dylan Murnane, Isaac Newcomb, Kaleb Pecoraro, Brian Post, Randy Pray, Jonathon Santamoor, Kate Sears, Jo Skiff, Ben Smith, Lief Sorgule, Randy T Todd II, Michael Walters, Sam Baker, Amelia Brady, Brian Brady, Matthew Brady, Alicia Brandes, Brian Brandes, Kate Broderick, Angie Carlisto, Dan Carlisto, Olaf Carlson, Kelly Carter, Josh Dann, Andy Donatello, Carrie Donatello, Drew Donatello, Zach Dupree, Francis Eisenger, Laura Finnerty-Paul, Lori Fitzgerald, Peter Frenette, Tricia Garrett, Trevor Gilligan, Lisa G., Woo Jeon, Mary Jane Lawrence, Sydney Lawrence, Lia Loomis, Jeff Martin, Jason McComber, David Miller, Karen Miller, Meredith Miller, Tony Miller, Chase Ormiston, Matt Paul, Olivia Paul, Wendy Poole, Trish Preston, Amy Quinn, Gino Riffle, Leigh Riffle, Alex Russo, Cammy Sheridan, Elise Stosiek, Brian Vasser, Jason Wamsganz, Carrie Wardlaw, Tait Wardlaw, Teegan Wardlaw, Wyatt Wardlaw, Ellen Yousey, Ken Yousey, and Zach Zienko, and so many others that may not be named here.
We live in an incredible community and during this challenging time, we have generously shown that we are #inthistogether.
Michael Maher, Head of School
As written and supplied and printed in the Adirondack Daily Enterprise.