Central Middle School Donates Goggles, Gloves To Local Hospital

EVERGREEN PARK, IL – In an effort to help local health care workers on the front lines of the new coronavirus pandemic, Evergreen Park's Central Middle School has donated personal protective equipment to a local hospital.

Spearheaded by seventh grade science teacher Palo Polaseck, the science department at the middle school donated nearly 300 pairs of goggles, 800 gloves and 84 heavy-duty aprons to the Little Company of Mary Hospital. Polasek decided to organize the donation after she heard Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker discuss the state's shortage of medical equipment.

"I have thought about how, in the science department, we have goggles that we are not using since we don't have school," Polasek said. "I thought about how our hospitals could be using them right now. The science department is a close group and I knew, without a doubt, that everyone would approve of this."

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Polasek and her student-teacher Neil Martyn received approval for the donation from the hospital and District 124 Superintendent Dr. Robert Machak and returned to the school to sanitize and goggles and individually bag them. They then delivered the donation to the hospital.

"I always tell my students that we are a family and we have to treat others how we want to be treated," she said. "Family is created not just by blood but by shared experience. I want my students to know that while I don't see them every day in my class, I still think about them every day and keep them in my heart."

To donate personal protective equipment (PPE), email PPE.donations@illinois.gov. For health questions about COVID-19, call the state coronavirus hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or email dph.sick@illinois.gov.