The Friends of the Kiwanis Club of Manhasset-Port Washington Foundation donated their 400th Pediatric Trauma Kit to a rescue squad in Schoharie County.
The Avianca airline crash of flight #52 on Long Island’s North Shore in 1990 made it very obvious that there was a lack of pediatric emergency equipment on the responding ambulances. Eleanor Lalena realized this, calling a meeting at the Port Washington Yacht Club of her friends and neighbors including past international president of Kiwanis, Anton “Tony” Kaiser, Dr. Joseph Stambouly, head of pediatric critical care at North Shore University Hospital. Eleanor proposed the formation of an organization to raise monies, purchase and distribute pediatric emergency trauma kits, including body boards—child size. This group of dedicated individuals recognized the need to improve the outcome for children who might be involved in serious accidents. The foundation has during the past 23 years donated approximately 400 pediatric trauma kits throughout the greater New York area.
Marilyn and Ivan Karp, friends of the Lalena’s, own the OK Harris Gallery in SoHo. They have grandkids in Schoharie County and John Lelena suggested that they look into whether or not the county had EMT Units with the special kit. They were surprised to find out that they did not.
The Manhasset-Port Washington Kiwanis Club Foundation moved to rectify the situation and this is the 400th kit given out in New York state.
