WALLKILL- Town of Wallkill Commissioner of Public Works Lou Ingrassia Jr. has been recognized by the New York Blood Center as this year’s “You Mean the World to Us” honoree. Ingrassia was recognized at the group’s annual volunteer luncheon on Wednesday.
Ingrassia began running blood drives in 2014. The blood drives are held in the Wallkill Town Hall and began as a dedication to Town Clerk Louisa Ingrassia’s sister, who was undergoing cancer treatment at the time. Ingrassia, with the help of others at town hall, dubbed the effort the “Town of Wallkill Celebrates Life.” Thee tradition of regular blood drives at the town hall continues today.
More recently, following the death of John Stephens, past Chief of the Howells Fire Department, who tragically passed away after a battle with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, Ingrassia began organizing blood drives at the firehouse in Stephen’s honor.
Joanna Scaduto, from the New York Blood Center, nominated Ingrassia for the award. “Lou Ingrassia, for your dedication to your community and the blood supply, you mean the world to us,” wrote Scaduto.
