Bonafiglia Family Honors Extraordinary Efforts of Staff at HLC

Few in our community have been spared the physical, emotional and financial pain brought on by the Coronavirus pandemic. But staff at the Huntington Living Center have faced a particularly crushing COVID-19 outbreak - risking their health while caring for the residents who depend on them and who have become like members of their family, keeping them engaged and connected while fighting a virus that is relentless, insidious and unpredictable. Staff have also been mourning the loss of beloved residents.

The Bonafiglia family, with deep roots in Seneca County, has made an incredibly generous gift of $100,000 to recognize and reward the dedication, hard work and commitment of Huntington Living Center and other Finger Lakes Health staff during these unprecedented times. The donation is designated to be used to pay each employee an additional $10 per hour for each hour worked at the facility from December 13, 2020 – December 26, 2020.

The additional pay will benefit a wide range of Huntington Living Center staff including certified nursing assistants, housekeepers, facilities personnel, nurses, nutritional services staff, and those working in rehabilitation, activities, social work, etc. Employees working at Huntington Living Center from other sites will also be eligible for this bonus pay.

The Bonafiglia’s remarkably generous act of kindness has sparked an outpouring of gratitude and a general feeling of goodwill from the entire Finger Lakes Health organization.

Dr. Jose Acevedo, President & CEO of Finger Lakes Health says of the donation, “On behalf of the board, administration and all of us at Finger Lakes Health, we are humbled by and thankful to The Bonafiglia Family for recognizing the hard work and devotion our Huntington Living Center staff has demonstrated to those who have entrusted us with their care during these most challenging times. The Bonafiglia Family has through word, deed, and their most generous gift embodied the feeling and meaning of family.”

These sentiments are echoed by Bill Garrity, Vice President of Long Term Care, “To the Bonafiglia Family, we are so deeply grateful and honored by this most generous and sincere gift. This act of love and kindness from the Bonafiglia Family to our staff who are dedicated to serving the most vulnerable among us, has touched our hearts deeply and demonstrated the support of our community is such a tangible way. This family has recognized the extraordinary circumstances and made a significant and impactful difference in this crisis.”

Karol Prayne, Administrator at the Huntington Living Center sees first hand, every day, the struggle her staff faces, and she is enormously grateful for the Bonafiglia donation and for the community support the facility has received throughout the pandemic.

Prayne says, “Thank you so much for this amazing and generous donation to the staff working at Huntington Living Center. We are very appreciative of the Bonafiglia Family reaching out to us and making this incredible donation that benefits our Huntington Family of employees at this very difficult and challenging time. My staff and I are overwhelmed and in awe of the community response to provide us with ongoing support, words of encouragement, food, monetary donations and gift cards. We are proud to be a part of the surrounding communities who have given so much to us over these past months.”

The financial and emotionally uplifting impact of the donation is best expressed by those staff members who will directly benefit from the bonus pay. Here are some heartfelt sentiments from some of the staff:

• “What they did floors me” ~ Scott Hunt
• “Thank you very much. Very, very thoughtful” ~ Laurie DeMay
• “We appreciate your generosity during these trying times.” ~ Courtney Andrews
• “Thank you so much for your incredible gift, kindness and generosity.” ~Jessie Karalunas
• “In the midst of everything going on, this was the most touching and considerate thing! We appreciate it more than we can express. God bless you and your family.” ~ Robert Cardinale
• “Thank you so much for your generous contribution. We need more people like you in the world.” ~ Michele Herndon

And comments from individuals who chose not to include their names:

• “In a time that we struggle with our situation and mourn our losses it is really awesome to have so many members of the community support us. This gift has really lifted the spirits of our staff.”
• “This was wonderful, it is a welcome “pick me up” for all staff working so many hours, with all the stress, and all the frustrations.”
• “Extremely generous and thoughtful. Great to see staff smiling.”

In a recent Op-ed for the Finger Lakes Times, Bruce Bonafiglia explained his family’s philanthropy saying, “We give because it’s what our mother and father taught us to do decades ago.” Indeed, this donation clearly underscores that their parents’ lesson was one that was well learned.

Bonafiglia closes his piece with a message to friends and neighbors, encouraging all to find an opportunity for compassion and a reason to give. In the face of this ongoing pandemic, Finger Lakes Health has an urgent and compelling need for financial support. Please consider making a donation today to: Finger Lakes Health Foundation, 196 North St. Geneva, NY 14456 or give online at: www.flhealth.org.