Clinton Township Newsletter

2 6 M A Y 2 0 2 1 W W W . C L I N T O N T W P N E W S L E T T E R . C O M M A Y 2 0 2 1 Welcome to Clinton Three Q with Rachel Sprague, an interview column featuring people and organizations around Clinton Township. Parts of the interview may have been edited or condensed for space. Maybe you have seen it going down the street, a small car with red dongles all over it, resembling the Covid-19 molecule...Clinton Three Q caught up with Joe's Covee Car, a free transport service to take people to get their vaccine shot, started by local Clinton and Bloomsbury residents, Joe Cicchetti and his wife Shirley. Joe's Covee Car drives individuals to their appointment, waits until they are done, and then drives them back home again, free of charge. C3Q: What motivated you to start off ering rides to strangers during this unorthodox time? Joe: We don't consider them 'strangers,' rather, they are friends we haven't met yet. We started Joe's Covee Car at the beginning of April after we got our own vaccines and were fully immunized. We had been driving around and helping friends during this time, assisting with groceries and things like that. It seemed like by now, everyone had fi gured out how to get groceries, and what people, especially the elderly, might need now, is a ride to their vaccine appointment. We wanted to do something to help, and we saw so many people during this time who were dying and getting sick, and we couldn't stand by anymore and do nothing. We wanted to get involved. We had the idea, picked a design, and made the Covee car. Our goal here is that if we can get just one person who doesn't get Covid, then we'll have succeeded. If they get the vaccine, they won't spread it, they won't get their family or friends sick, and they can get on with their lives. Shirley: We've been so fortunate, we wanted to give back. Every time you do something for your community, you do something good for yourself. It's win-win. C3Q: What type of car is the Covee Car, and what are those doodads stuck all over it? Joe: The Covee Car is a 2012 Fiat 500, and I designed the Covid molecule from scratch. Each one is actually three dryer balls, with PVC pipe and fl ange and adhesive, spray- painted red to resemble the actual Covid molecule. Coronavirus has two types of proteins, a long spike and a short surface protein, and I wanted to make the car look as accurate as possible. We didn't want to ruin the car's paint, so through trial-and-error, we found that "Alien Tape" works the best to stick them to the car. C3Q: The Covee Car certainly attracts a lot of attention! Do people wave or honk at you a lot? Joe: We get so many honks, waves and smiles! You wouldn't believe how many, every day! Just driving around gets lots of people to smile, and people come up to us to start a conversation all the time. C3Q: What do they talk about? Joe: You know, when they come up to me, I never anticipated the most common question: Are the vaccines safe? We get asked that a lot. Shirley: I tell them that my daughter Jessica is a nurse who has worked with Covid patients this whole time, and seen a lot of death. Getting the vaccine is so important. When I was a child, they didn't have the MMR vaccine yet, and I had measles, chicken pox, and lost my hearing in my left ear from mumps as a child. Why would you not get the vaccine, if you are not allergic? Joe: Shirley gives them the scientifi c answer, I shoot from the hip. I just ask them how they would feel if they gave Covid to someone in their family, if they could have gotten the shot instead. C3Q: How can other people help out, if they are motivated to do something like you? Joe: We just got started a few weeks ago, and we are already so busy. Currently, we cover only Hunterdon and Warren Counties, but we have gotten calls from all over the state for rides...Atlantic City, Morris, Bergen...We can't keep up with demand. We put a call out for recruits on our Facebook page, and recruited one driver for the Central Jersey area, but we hope to recruit more, because there is a lot of need, especially among the elderly. If people go to our Facebook page, they can maybe get involved or help out. There is a Fundraiser on our page if people want to contribute to gas or other needs, but we hope that we can fi nd a few other drivers. It's time for people to get involved in this world. That's what we believe...when something needs to get done, I'm going to try to do something to help. C3Q: Thank you so much, Joe and Shirley, for your time and eff orts. Safe driving! You can contact Joe's Covee Car at: www. facebook.com/FreeVaccineRide or email: JoesCoveeCar@gmail.com Linda Lucas, a resident of High Bridge, utilizes Joe's Covee Car Service. Welcome to with Rachel Sprague Rachel Sprague, a resident of Clinton Township, has a degree in journalism from Rutgers. With her husband Russell, Rachel is raising two young children in the Clinton Township School District. She thinks that Clinton Township is a delightful place to live. • The driver is fully vaccinated against Covid-19. • You are responsible for making your vaccine appointment. • Riders need to request their rides at least fi ve days in advance to be assured of a ride, however, there may be last minute openings. • The car is wiped with sanitizer before and after each ride. • All riders must wear a mask that covers both their nose and mouth at all times while in the car. • All riders must sanitize their hands before entering the vehicle. Sanitizer will be provided by the driver. • The driver will not drive any person exhibiting Covid-19 symptoms. If you are sick, reschedule when you are well. The driver will take your temperature before any ride. • The driver is fully vaccinated against Covid-19. The car is wiped with sanitizer before and provided by the driver. Are you in need of free local transportation to/from your covid vaccine appointment? Contact Joe's Covee Car– they will do their best to accommodate requests from those in need – for no charge! Here's what you need to know: To schedule an appointment, go to: www.facebook.com/FreeVaccineRide or call Joe at: 908.328.6730 or Shirley at: 908.892.0053.

• Cover