Mount Sinai South Nassau scores big with golf outing

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Mount Sinai South Nassau raised more than $280,000 for the Oceanside hospital’s Covid-19 relief fund at its 36th annual golf outing on Sept. 14.

The sold-out event, a socially distanced affair, honored MSSN’s entire 3,565-person staff, which cared for patients during the worst of the coronavirus outbreak in the spring.

“It was truly a great day, in recognition and celebration of our dedicated and courageous health care professionals,” said Richard J. Murphy, the hospital’s president and CEO. “I commend our golf committee for organizing an outstanding event, and thank our sponsors for their generous and steadfast support.”

The golf outing’s co-chairs, Rockville Centre residents Tony Cancellieri and Jeff Greenfield, led a 40-person committee of volunteers in organizing the event, which was more challenging than the past 35 years. “We wanted to try to make people feel comfortable coming to the outing,” Cancellieri said. “And boy, did we hit a home run. It was a wonderful outing.”

The event attracted 280 golfers, despite the strict healthy and safety protocols. There was no barbecue, as in past years, but instead a grab-and-go breakfast and a grilled lunch. Four separate golf sessions were held at the Seawane Club in Hewlett Harbor and the Rockaway Hunting Club in Lawrence — a morning and afternoon session at each location.

“We were very pleased with the turnout and the community’s continued support for the hospital, especially during this challenging time,” said Cancellieri, who is vice chairman of the hospital’s board of directors. “After the long lockdown, many of our players were eager to get out on the course, and we demonstrated that you can have a safe outing if you put in place the proper procedures.”

Cancellieri also noted that it was only fitting to honor the hospital staff this year. Long Island’s south shore was among the areas hardest hit by Covid-19. MSSN has treated more than 1,400 Covid-19 patients. Hospital beds surged to more than 500 during the peak in April. Now, the hospital has transitioned back to near-normal operations, with cleaning and safety measures in place.

The outing celebrated MSSN employees and raised money for the hospital’s Covid-19 fund, as the pandemic has brought on numerous extra expenses. In the past eight to ten years, the golf outing had raised money for the hospital’s upgraded emergency department and exceeded the goal of $10 million.

The event’s major sponsors were LEB Electric Ltd.; Signature Bank; Jeffrey Frisch; Long Beach Nursing & Rehabilitation; Neurological Surgery, PC; Parking Systems; Park Strategies, LLC; Professional Maintenance of LI; Ropes & Gray, LLP and Squad Security Inc.

Joe Calderone, MSSN’s senior vice president of corporate communications, said that beyond raising money, the show of support at the event was encouraging. “We didn’t really know how many people would participate,” he said. “It helps the morale of everybody here to know that the community supports them.”