Elmhurst Vaccination Event Provides 2,000 Shots To Area Seniors

Elmhurst IL

29 March, 2021

5:57 PM

Description

ELMHURST, IL — More than 2,000 shots of the coronavirus vaccines were administered to local senior citizens on Friday as part of a joint partnership between DuPage County Commissioner Pete DiCianni, the City of Elmhurst and other local partners. DiCianni announced the results of the vaccination event on Monday, three days after the former Elmhurst mayor, city officials, Jewel Osco and the Ray Graham Association teamed up for the vaccination clinic. The Roy Graham Association had previously held an event in which more than 800 vaccines were administered to help protect clients with developmental disabilities and frontline workers, DiCianni announced. DiCianni pushed for the delivery of the vaccines for the day-long event knowing that Elmhurst has the largest senior population in DuPage County. "I'm thankful and so pleased that we secured such a substantial number of vaccines, which have been extremely difficult to get for so many! We also realized that many of our seniors were technologically challenged, many not having internet or email." DiCianni said in a news release. DiCianni championed a live call-in drive and partnered with city officials from Elmhurst, where he served as mayor between 2009-2012. The Ray Graham Association hosted the event after witnessing the success of the previous vaccination event, according to the release. Volunteers for Friday's vaccination event included members of the Elmhurst Senior Commission, city employees including human resources workers, members of the city's economic team fire fighters and aldermen, who made call and provided other support throughout the event. "People asked me how did you pull this off? My answer (is) relationships and helping people for many years and knowing good partners who would step up to the plate for our seniors, DiCianni said in the release. "This is a tremendous team effort and watching our community come together is just great." "It's been very emotional for many who have been cooped up in their homes in fear of Covid, which has been especially deadly to our senior population. People were literally crying on the phone, so thankful they had a guaranteed appointment with a guaranteed follow up appointment."