Sheriff Salutes Westhampton Health Care Workers With Parade

WESTHAMPTON, NY — For the second time, Suffolk County Sheriff Errol Toulon will salute staff at nursing, rehabilitation and assisted living centers with a "thank you" parade.

The "lights and sirens" parades will take place on Wednesday and will include deputies, correction officers, and staff driving by facilities in Westhampton and Brookhaven, Toulon said.

The healthcare staff and residents of those types of facilities have been severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and Toulon, a two-time cancer survivor, said he would like to show the sheriff’s office’s appreciation to all the "hardworking men and women working tirelessly at not only the large hospitals, but also these types of smaller centers in Suffolk County."

Deputies will also deliver cards and letters of encouragement written by area students to the residents of both centers, he said.

The parades will take place at The Villa at Westhampton, located at 68 Old Country Rd. in Westhampton, and at the Westhampton Care Center, located at 78 Old Country Rd. in Westhampton at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday. The parade will then travel to the Bellhaven Center for Rehabilitation & Nursing Care, located at 110 Beaver Dam Rd. in Brookhaven at 1 p.m., Toulon said.

Last week, parades took place at NY Blood & Cancer Specialists locations in Riverhead and Port Jefferson, as well as at Long Island Community Hospital in Patchogue.

“On behalf of the men and women of Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office, and all of the first responders here today, we want to honor you — you are our heroes. Not only for everything you do battling COVID-19, but treating patients every single day — we thank you," Toulon said.