Select Board Vice-Chair, John Coutinho talks about the Boston Athletic Association and 26.2 Foundation effort to help out St. Vincent's Hospital. John along with volunteers helped provide BAA Marathon rain poncho gear to the hospital to be used as protective medical gear. View the interview and read more below!
"Hopkinton, MA (March 31, 2020) - Despite the postponement of the 124th Boston
Marathon until September 14, 2020, Hopkinton’s relationship with the Boston Athletic
Association (BAA) continues to benefit the town and the region.
Hopkinton resident Carolyn Jackson, who serves as the CEO at St. Vincent’s Hospital in
Worcester, MA, reached out to members of the Hopkinton Select Board looking for
emergency personal protective equipment (PPE) for her staff. The first group the Select
Board considered was the BAA.
Hopkinton Select Board Liaison to the BAA, John Coutinho, was confident the BAA
would come through once again. According to Coutinho, the Boston Athletic Association
always shows up for Hopkinton and our entire region. “When the town heard there was
a need for more PPE, we were confident we could turn to them,” said John Coutinho.
“We are thrilled that they were able to step up and help keep our medical professionals
safe in these uncertain times.”
In partnership with the 26.2 Foundation, Coutinho has led and coordinated efforts to
strengthen the collaboration between the Town of Hopkinton, the BAA, the 26.2
Foundation and the region. As a result, the relationship between the town, the BAA, and
the 26.2 Foundation has never been stronger.
“Facilitating the arrival of more safety equipment for medical professionals who are
dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic is another wonderful example of how we work
together,” said Coutinho. “It’s just what we do; we take care of each other.”
On Tuesday, March 31, Select Board members loaded approximately 3,000 “race day”
rain ponchos into a pickup truck which were delivered by Coutinho to the St. Vincent
Hospital in Worcester.
Photo Captions:
1) Select Board Liaison to the BAA John Coutinho and a representative from the
BAA load boxes of “race day” rain ponchos into a pickup truck for delivery to St.
Vincent’s Hospital in Worcester.
2) Select Board Liaison to the BAA John Coutinho with St. Vincent Hospital CEO
Carolyn Jackson on the St. Vincent loading dock."