These days, painting the town red is considered so passé and together Westbury residents Jeanne and Nora Lofgren are painting the town a different color—blue—to honor the frontline workers who are fighting COVID-19 in our county hospitals.
“My daughter, who is Nora’s granddaughter, is a nurse at NYU Winthrop and we were very aware of how the hospital and staff were overwhelmed with the influx of COVID-19 patients,” Jeanne said. “I loved the New York City nightly 7 p.m. tributes to healthcare professionals and felt inspired. I wanted to do something here in the Carle Place and Westbury community to acknowledge the sacrifices made by healthcare professionals and frontline workers and show support for them. Discussing various options, we remembered a fundraising event several years ago that left an impression on us. That’s when we came up with the idea of ‘Painting the Town Blue.’”
Jeanne, who works alongside Nora at Nora Lofgren Realty, searched online and found companies that made signs and sold bows in bulk. Nora Lofgren Realty has donated more than 200 blue bows and 40 signs, which have been placed around town. When Jeanne and Nora started receiving requests from individuals for signs, a local company by the name of WildeArt Graphics, generously offered to produce more signs.
“The support from the community has been overwhelming and very positive,” Jeanne said. “These are unprecedented, scary times and we need to do everything we can to be positive and supportive of our neighbors. This is the least we can do to show our gratitude for what others are doing for the benefit of our community. If seeing one of these signs or bows puts a smile on someone’s face, then we are thrilled.”
So how can people participate in Paint the Town Blue?
“We have a small supply of free bows left that are available to community members, but people can use any blue ribbon or blue material to display on their property,” Jeanne explained. “Signs are now available at cost for $10 each for a limited time. People can contact jeannelofgren@gmail.com to inquire about bows and/or signs.”
Overall, Jeanne and Nora who combined have lived in the Village of Westbury for 80 years, are just thankful those who put their lives at risk every day.
“We just want to thank all the people putting themselves and their families at risk doing their jobs,” Jeanne said. “Whether they are nurses, doctors, chefs, cashiers, bus drivers, or food delivery people, we are so thankful for their sacrifices.”
