LTHS alums donate face masks to fellow Lions

Lyons Township High School graduates and brothers Phil Cozza (Class of 1977) and Paul Cozza (Class of 1974) recently donated 72,000 face masks to their alma mater. Owners and officers at Deslauriers, Inc, a construction supply manufacturer and distributor at 1245 Barnsdale Rd. in LaGrange Park, wanted to keep the donations local.

The company acquired protective masks for their construction-related customers but also decided to donate many of their masks to schools and charitable organizations in the area. They contacted the LTHS Parent Teacher Council and donated 72,000 masks to LT for the use of LT students and teachers. The number donated - 72,000 - corresponds to Paul and Phil’s brother Jim (Class of ’72) who passed away in 1977 in a tragic car accident while driving to Dekalb to visit his fiancé.

The entire Cozza extended family has deep ties to LT with brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles and cousins all graduates. Phil Cozza said, “I graduated from LT, as did my three daughters. My brother, Jay, is president of the Alumni Association. We hope the donation of the masks will help LT provide a safe place to learn.”

Superintendent Tim Kilrea said, “Even though LT has supplied each student and staff member with an LT mask, broken, soiled, and forgotten masks will undoubtedly occur on a daily basis. As we finalize plans to return to in-person learning, the mask donations come a crucial time. Our thanks go out to the Cozza brothers.”