Gina Mazzola of O Sole Mio created yet another way to give back to the community. 

It started with a post on Facebook: Nominate an Essential Worker to win a $100 Gift Card to O Sole Mio. 

Over 150 nominations later, it is really just beginning. 

Gina came back on Lenard Team Connections to share the four winners from the giveaway and to announce how we can all contribute to keep this movement going. 

Keep reading for the nomination entries for the four deserving winners, or listen here to the full show!

Maygan Procino, Winthrop Hospital

Maygan is currently an ICU nurse working at NYU Winthrop Hospital on the front lines. She tirelessly works overnights, and is a big resource to her colleagues and travel nurses, often being placed in charge. Before help arrived, she was working as many as five 12.5 hour shifts a week, unfazed by the danger it posed day in and day out. 

She brings snacks once a week for her co-workers as well. People that are in the hospital, they don't have family members with them. She knows that as a nurse, she is one of few people with the patients, and even spent two and a half hours cleaning and brushing a 40-year old patient’s hair that had been on the unit for a month. 

Karen Caset, Comsewogue High School

Teachers had to completely shift to distance learning with no preparation. Karen has revamped her teaching style so that she can ensure that her students are comprehending material being presented with online teaching. Karen teaches four different grade levels and five different classes ranging from 8th grade English to SAT review. For Karen, it’s not just about the academic lessons: she spends endless hours communicating with her students to help them through this difficult time. 

Joseph Marcellino Jr, ShopRite

Joseph is a hard working college student that just celebrated two years working with ShopRite. Every day he goes in with a positive attitude and is willing to help by staying late, going in early, and even taking shifts for those that don't want to work during this time. He never asks for anything or complains. He also met a girl online and would love to be able to take her to dinner when this is all over. He deserves to know when you put in an extra effort and go the extra mile good things happen. 

Christine Kronenberg, Buttercup Dairy

Christine is a 73-year-old retired nurse who continues to work at Buttercup during this entire pandemic, regardless of the risk this puts her in. Christine says they need her, people need a place to buy food, and most of the staff quit. Once a nurse always a nurse at heart. She deserves this.

More Deserving Essential Workers - A Message from Gina

Every single person that was nominated, along with thousands of others on Long Island deserve this recognition. So we thank them. And we would love to extend that and give a gift certificate to every worker on this list. 

It can’t be done without your help:

O Sole Mio is currently accepting donations to go towards this essential workers fund. If  you want to send in a donation, we will continue to hand out gift cards to these workers that truly deserve it. 

Reach out to Gina on Facebook or call 631-751-1600 to make a donation!