GOSHEN – Orange County Executive Steven Neuhaus has recognized Lou Ingrassia Jr. as May’s Citizen of the Month for his continued efforts to support healthcare personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ingrassia has organized several parades to honor medical personnel at Orange Regional Medical Center (ORMC) and several other facilities to recognize their tireless work during the COVID-19 pandemic. He has also served as a key member of the Town of Wallkill’s Supervisor Frank DenDanto III’s leadership team. Ingrassia is the Town of Wallkill’s Public Works Commissioner and Co-Director of Emergency Management.
“I’m proud to acknowledge Lou for his selfless commitment to community service and to the Town of Wallkill,” Neuhaus said. “He is a proud lifelong Town of Wallkill resident and if there is an event taking place there, Lou is likely an integral part of it, organizing, promoting, or participating. Lou’s hard work and generosity during the COVID-19 crisis is appreciated and stands as a great example for all of us.”
Ingrassia was instrumental in starting recognitions of the efforts of healthcare personnel on the frontlines of the COVID-19 outbreak with parades complete with fire trucks, police cars, DPW trucks, and other first responders. The parades, coordinated with DenDanto, Town of Wallkill Police Chief Robert Hertman, and Office of the Emergency Management Coordinator Joe Andre, celebrated staff at ORMC, Crystal Run Healthcare, Braemar Living at Wallkill, Orange Urgent Care, Middletown Park Manor, and Middletown Medical.
Ingrassia has also organized dozens of parades to celebrate children’s birthdays in the Town of Wallkill. He makes sure all of the celebrations go viral by sharing them with his friends and peers via email, text, and Facebook.
“During these unprecedented times, as the world is faced with fear and uncertainty, people become beacons of hope. Healthcare heroes from Crystal Run Healthcare and others throughout our communities report to the frontline each day to fight COVID-19,” said Christine Wise-Vazquez, MBA, LNHA, CMPE, Crystal Run Healthcare’s Chief Support Operations Officer. “Lou Ingrassia has stepped up to rally the community’s support of healthcare workers and to show gratitude through drive-by salutes that have lifted the spirits of us all. These parades show all of our employees that our work matters and the members of the communities we serve support our tireless efforts.”
“Over the past several weeks, the displays of gratitude and support that Lou has helped organize have truly lifted the spirits of everyone at the hospital who have been working so hard for our community,” added Brian Tew, ORMC’s Chief Operating Officer. “He’s helped provide an extra emotional boost to us during this extremely difficult time.”
Ingrassia began his career at the Town of Wallkill in 1986 as a laborer in the Water and Sewer Department. He became DPW Commissioner in 2013 and is proud to work with his sister, Louisa, Town of Wallkill’s Clerk, for 19 years. Ingrassia has been a volunteer firefighter for 38 years and is an elected Fire Commissioner for the Howells Fire District.
He previously served two terms as Chief of the Howells Fire Company #1. Ingrassia and his wife, Jackie, have two children, Lou III, 24, and Andrea, 21.
“I wanted to help people stay motivated and make the best of a challenging situation,” Ingrassia said. “People like to be acknowledged and it’s been nice to bring a smile to the faces of medical personnel and give them some hope. I think it helped them to soldier on, and gave them some hope, and gave some positivity which good. I want to thank everyone who has come together to make these parades possible and for County Executive Neuhaus acknowledging first responders and our medical personnel.”
Neuhaus introduced his Citizen of the Month Award, which acknowledges outstanding Orange County residents, in January of 2017. To nominate someone for the Citizen of the Month Award, please email ceoffice@orangecountygov.com or mail a letter to “Citizen of the Month” at 255-275 Main Street Goshen, N.Y. 10924. Be sure to include the nominee’s name, hometown, a list of their accomplishments, why you are nominating them, and any other pertinent information. Nominees must be from Orange County.
