OSWEGO COUNTY – Oswego County continues to acknowledge individuals who have volunteered their time for the local COVID-19 response. This week, the honor goes to a person who is actively working in the health care community and still makes time to volunteer with the County’s health department – Mary Hitchcock.

“Mary is a registered nurse at the Centers for Reproductive Health for Oswego County Opportunities, Inc.,” said Danielle Carlone, public health sanitarian for the Oswego County Health Department. “She has also been an active participant in our community vaccination clinics, at both SUNY Oswego and G. Ray Bodley High School in Fulton. Mary’s outlook on public health is to ensure that the community is as involved in the COVID-19 response effort as our medical professionals and volunteers. She is an inspiration to us all.”

Hitchcock added, “Public health means keeping our community healthy, and I wanted to do something to benefit our community. It is time to get this under control and find a sense of normalcy for everyone.”

A longtime resident of Oswego County, Hitchcock enjoys the time she gets to spend working with community members at the vaccination clinics. “I am so appreciative of the community and its eagerness to get the vaccine,” she said. “The other volunteers and community members have made the clinics so enjoyable; it was fun to be there.”

When asked to reflect on her volunteer experience so far Hitchcock said, “Everyone I met at the health department was wonderful and amazing. The clinics ran so smoothly and were very professional.”

The Oswego County Health Department would like to thank all the volunteers and community members who have made the vaccination clinics possible. Their support has helped the department’s critical operations run as smoothly as they have.

“We are truly grateful for all the volunteers who have stepped forward to help with our COVID-19 response,” said Oswego County Public Health Director Jiancheng Huang. “The battle against the virus is not over and Oswego County is prepared to keep our community safe one vaccine at a time.”

For more information about COVID-19 or to volunteer to help, go to the Oswego County Health Department’s COVID-19 page at health.oswegocounty.com/covid-19 or call its COVID-19 hotline at 315-349-3330. Phone lines are open from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Under New York State Public Health Law, the Oswego County Health Department is the local public health authority regarding the COVID-19 pandemic response within the County of Oswego. The Oswego County Health Department works closely with New York State Department of Health regarding COVID-19 monitoring, response and reporting.

HITCHCOCK HONORED AS “VOLUNTEER OF THE WEEK” – The Oswego County Health Department continues its “Volunteer of the Week” program to recognize those who have helped our community through the COVID-19 pandemic. Mary Hitchcock, RN, with the Centers for Reproductive Health for Oswego County Opportunities, Inc., is this week’s honoree. She is pictured here (middle) answering questions from a vaccine recipient while Oswego County Public Health Technician Emily Oldenburg, completes the medical screening. Photo courtesy of Sonia Robinson, Oswego County Health Department.