On Friday, March 6, the first case of the coronavirus in Connecticut was reported at Danbury Hospital. A month later, one Boy Scout had an idea for the hospital staff in the state’s hardest-hit county.
“We knew that restaurants would be suffering, and we wanted to come up with something that would help the doctors and nurses that are fighting for us every day,” said Bennett Quinn, 12.
Over the last two weeks, Bennett, his dad Ryan and fellow scouts have raised $8,000 to buy gift cards at local restaurants and donate them to the hospital.
“It makes me feel very good that I’m helping my community, and that all the Boy Scouts are helping,” said Bennett.
The cards are from restaurants across Sandy Hook and Newtown. Bennett and the other scouts make the call to restaurants, asking if they would like to participate.
“Hello, would you like to make a donation of four $25 gift cards,” asked Bennett on a call to Tombascio’s. The team covers the donation, and many say they’re more than happy to help.
“We all know someone at the hospitals ourselves,” said Tyler Tarantino, owner of Cover 2 Sports Café in Sandy Hook. “You’re not only helping the businesses but you’re also helping the hospitals, people are coming together.”
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Ryan Quinn says the results leave one scout dad speechless. That father works in Danbury Hospital’s emergency room.
“He’s told me a couple times he just doesn’t have the words to say thank you,” Quinn explained.
The scouts are working on round two of gift cards. They’re heading to the hospital this weekend to drop them off.
“The impression that we get is everybody seems as overworked as possible and this is not really a solution for that, but a morale boost, which is as important as anything,” said Quinn. “And hopefully this puts a smile on their face and helps keep them going.”
