Chester Honors Facebook Group Helping Seniors Get Vaccines

CHESTER, NJ - When Chester resident and middle school teacher Heather McCarthy saw that elderly members of her community were struggling to find COVID-19 vaccinations, she offered more than thoughts and prayers, she stepped up and took action. And the governing bodies of Chester Township and Chester Borough took notice.

Last week Chester Township Mayor Marcia Asdal and Chester Borough Mayor Janet Hoven honored Heather Anne Hearon, McCarthy, and Simone Campbell for forming the Facebook group named Chester NJ Covid Volunteers to assist those needing help scheduling an inoculation appointment with a Proclamation.

The team gathers the relevant info, partner them with one of their numerous volunteers, who are trained by Shannon Rossi, and after they work their angel magic, usually have an appointment scheduled within a couple of days, McCarthy said.

"Our volunteers stay up to all hours waiting for open appointments to drop around the state, hoping to scoop them up for one of our volunteers. Our mission is to assist Chester residents, although we have helped many outside of our community, to secure an appointment for the COVID vaccine," McCarthy said. "We primarily help those who find the process daunting as you need advanced computer skills, outside tips, and a lot of patience, so for the most part we are working with our senior citizens."

McCarthy, an educator who works in Madison, noted that the group is assisting teachers within the community now that they are eligible.

Anyone who needs help can access the Google form on the volunteer website, or they can call the hotline and leave a message. See the complete proclamation below:

Borough of Chester, New Jersey & Chester Township, New Jersey Proclamation

Whereas distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine began in the state of New Jersey on December 15, 2020 and

Whereas individuals 65 years and older were eligible to receive the vaccines and

Whereas eligible residents were required to register online to request an appointment for the vaccines and

Whereas many senior citizens faced barriers to internet access and

Whereas eligible residents of Chester were frustrated over their inability to register for an appointment due to digital skills and internet access and

Whereas many of the appointment sites released available time slots late at night or required advanced computer skills and patience to access appointment slots and

Whereas upon hearing the concerns of their older neighbors Community members offered to assist in securing COVID-19 vaccination appointments and

Whereas Heather Anne Hearon, Heather McCarthy, and Simone Campbell formed a Facebook group named Chester NJ Covid Volunteers in response and asked others to assist Chester senior citizens to schedule COVID-19 vaccination appointments and

Whereas dozens of Chester residents volunteered to aid their neighbors in accessing COVID-19 vaccinations and

Whereas the Chester NJ Covid Volunteers created forms for Chester senior citizens to request an appointment, developed systems to expedite the completion of online forms to quickly secure appointments and

Whereas Saint Lawrence the Martyr Parish simultaneously created a telephone hotline to reach seniors with limited internet access or computer skills in need of vaccination appointments and

Whereas dozens of volunteers have made over 150 appointments, and also provided rides to and from the appointments, some going great distances, and followed up with the participants to ensure their health and comfort, including side effect symptoms following vaccinations and

Whereas senior citizens of Chester have benefited greatly from the kindness of
their neighbors

Now therefore the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Chester and Township of Chester extends its heartfelt thanks and gratitude to all of the volunteers who answered the call of their neighbors to assist those among us in need and we call upon all the residents of Chester in commending the volunteers of this effort.

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