Accessibility links

Breaking News

Help and Hope during COVID-19


VOA – CONNECT
EPISODE #118
AIR DATE 04 17 2020
TRANSCRIPT


OPEN ((VO/NAT))
((Banner))
Providing Food
((SOT))
((Silvio Lanzas, Fire Chief, Glendale Fire Department))
We’ve helped 60 seniors throughout our community so far.
((Shane Hoeft, Paramedic, Glendale Fire Department))
We were wondering, are you making soup tonight?
((Carol))
Yeah, I thought lentil soup sounded like a very good thing.
((Shane Hoeft, Paramedic, Glendale Fire Department))
There you go.
((Animation Transition))
((Banner))
Widening Worlds
((SOT))
((Chris Golofski, President, Pennsylvania Trolley
Museum))
One time, people spent their entire lives within two miles of
where they were born. They walked to church. They walked
to school. They walked to go shopping. And transportation
opened the world up to these people.
((Animation Transition))
((Banner))
…..and a little music
((SOT))
((David Jacobson, Singer/Songwriter, On the Bus Band))
And the wheels won’t turn so fast
I want my love to last.
((Open Animation))


BLOCK A


((PKG)) FEEDING THE FRONTLINES
((Banner: Feeding the Frontlines))
((Reporter/Camera: Aaron Fedor))
((Adapted by: Zdenko Novacki))
((Map: New York City, New York))
((Main character: 1 male))
((Sub characters: 2 females; 1 male))
((NATS))
((Luca Di Pietro, Owner, Tarallucci e Vino))
This is the emergency room of one of the main hospitals in
New York City and we are delivering a hundred meals today
for the emergency room personnel.
((NATS))
Good. Let's go.
((Luca Di Pietro, Owner, Tarallucci e Vino))
My name is Luca Di Pietro and I'm the owner of Tarallucci e
Vino, a group of restaurants in New York City. We have five
locations all over the city. Our locations were all shut down
because of the ordinance from the mayor and we were only
able to do take-out and delivery.
A friend of ours called us saying, “How can we help? Can I
order some food for delivery? Maybe you guys can bring
some food to an emergency room.” She purchased 40
meals and we gladly delivered them to the E.R., you know.
When I actually delivered with my wife, I delivered the food,
the emergency room personnel, they were so grateful for
that food for somebody, about someone thinking about them.
So, I was thinking it through and I said, “How do I keep the
lights on? How do I keep my people employed and how do I
help first responders?”
So, the idea just came organically and I told my daughter. I
said, “Why don't we build a website so people can purchase
meals through us and we can deliver them to emergency
rooms?”
((Isabella Di Pietro, Designer, Feed the Frontlines
Website))
I was finishing up my senior year at Harvard and we got an
email telling us that we all had to get off campus due to the
coronavirus crisis. So, when that happened, I came back to
New York City and when I got home, I saw that my father's
restaurants were struggling.
((Isabella Di Pietro, Designer, Feed the Frontlines
Website))
So, my contribution to Feed the Frontlines NYC was to build
the website. And I was able to do that because I had some
amazing friends who got together when they heard about
this idea and they were all really willing to help out. And I
had a friend help me build the website pretty much
overnight. And so, we put it all together, came up with a
name, got people working on social media and we’ve had an
incredible response since then.
((Jerome Kapelus, Feed the Frontlines NYC))
I'm a donor. It was a very easy decision. It's kind of a win-
win. Luca can keep some people employed and they get
some gratitude and food to frontline health care workers.
((NATS))
((Hospital Staff Member))
We’re very thankful. We have a very big staff of doctors,
technicians taking care of the patients. So, we are very
thankful. We don't know how to thank the people that
donated the food and whoever cooked it. We are extremely
thankful and blessed.
((Luca Di Pietro, Owner, Tarallucci e Vino))
We're coming back every day for as long as you need us,
okay? We have so many people that want to participate in
this effort. So, we're coming back every day.
((Hospital Staff Member))
Thank you so much. Thank you so much.
((Luca Di Pietro, Owner, Tarallucci e Vino))
Thank you. Be well. Stay safe.
((Luca Di Pietro, Owner, Tarallucci e Vino))
As this effort is going on, more restaurants are reaching out.
And also, food vendors, coffee vendors. As demand grows,
we will bring more restaurants in.
((NATS))
Thank you so much for the donation. We really appreciate
it.
Thanks guys. All good? Take care. Alright, alright. Bye.
Have a good one. See you later.
((Jerome Kapelus, Feed the Frontlines NYC))
Tarallucci, so far, is keeping people employed and most
importantly, getting food to frontline workers. I hope other
restaurants can do it.
((NATS))


((PKG)) FIREFIGHTERS DELIVERING GROCERIES
((Banner: Helping the Vulnerable))
((Reporter/Camera: Genia Dulot))
((Map: Glendale, California))
((Main characters: 1 female; 2 males))
((Sub characters: 2 females))
((Banner: Glendale Firefighters In California deliver
groceries to the elderly, encouraging them to stay home
during the pandemic))
((NATS))
((Silvio Lanzas, Fire Chief, Glendale Fire Department))
As soon as this happened and the coronavirus started to
spread and the word got out that people were going to be
initially sequestered at home and the vulnerable population,
our seniors, 65 and older and those with medical, vulnerable
medical conditions were going to be remanded home prior to
everybody being home, we really wanted to encourage our
seniors and those who shouldn’t be outside, to stay
inside. And so, we thought, why don’t we try to help them by
providing essential needs and going to the grocery store,
picking up their medicine, delivering it to them.
((Silvio Lanzas, Fire Chief, Glendale Fire Department))
Remember to keep your social distance from these people.
We are trying to not get them sick. So, wear a mask. If you
don’t have one, grab one before you go. Wear gloves if
you’d like to.
((Korin Peltier, Volunteer, Glendale Fire Department))
I work upstairs in dispatch. So, I never had to wear one of
these.
((Silvio Lanzas, Fire Chief, Glendale Fire Department))
We take the order the day prior. The next morning, we have
volunteers, people that are coming in on their day off and are
going to the store, shopping for them and then delivering it to
those seniors.
((NATS))
((Korin Peltier, Volunteer, Glendale Fire Department))
Good morning.
((Silvio Lanzas, Fire Chief, Glendale Fire Department))
We’ve helped 60 seniors throughout our community so
far. The service isn’t free. We are not buying your groceries
for you. We do front the money. Our Glendale Fire
Foundation gave us money to be able to buy groceries
upfront and then when we deliver them, the senior or the
person with a medical condition pays us for the groceries
we’ve bought. So, it doesn’t cost them anything other than
what we bought for them.
((Korin Peltier, Volunteer, Glendale Fire Department))
On my list here, I have spinach, asparagus, pineapple.
You’ve got to remember that you’re touching things with your
gloves and so you have to get new gloves every so often
too, you know, because if you keep touching things, it’s just
going to keep on infecting everything with your dirty
gloves. So, it’s smart to carry around like the hand sanitizer
and use it often and stuff like that.
Eggplant, broccoli, mushrooms, dry lentil beans, salsa and
vegetable broth. And it looks like they are going to make
some soup. Oh yeah, the vanilla ice cream! That’s the most
important thing.
((NATS))
((Shane Hoeft, Paramedic, Glendale Fire Department))
Do you want Dreyer’s or regular?
((Korin Peltier, Volunteer, Glendale Fire Department))
Oh, Dreyer’s for sure. Yeah. Gotta get the good stuff.
((Shane Hoeft, Paramedic, Glendale Fire Department))
He’s got nothing but, like cleaning supplies.
((Korin Peltier, Volunteer, Glendale Fire Department))
And ice cream.
((Korin Peltier, Volunteer, Glendale Fire Department))
My dad was a firefighter. My sister is in law-enforcement but
I am totally afraid of blood. Being able to dispatch, I get to
help people and I don’t have to see blood or deal with any of
that.
((NATS))
((Korin Peltier, Volunteer, Glendale Fire Department))
Hi ma’am! Is this Donald’s caretaker?
Hi, it’s the Glendale Fire Department. I know you had said
that you weren’t going be there until 10:30, but Donald asked
for ice cream and we don’t want it to melt and so, we were
wondering if we were able to drop it off now?
((Korin Peltier, Volunteer, Glendale Fire Department))
She said he won’t understand that he needs to pay and write
a check. And so, she said she’ll try to get there around
10:10. So, he might just have some melted ice cream.
((Korin Peltier, Volunteer, Glendale Fire Department))
That’s the big thing about dispatches. We are on the phone
with these people. We’re helping them give CPR, but we
never find out the outcome. We are always in the unknown
like we don’t know what happened to this person. So, it’s
nice to be able to physically be here and help.
((NATS))
((Woman receiving groceries))
You are a blessing, believe me. I thank God for you.
((Shane Hoeft, Paramedic, Glendale Fire Department))
Glad we could be here.
((Shane Hoeft, Paramedic, Glendale Fire Department))
So basically, it’s only me and my wife that I see. I don’t go to
any of my brothers’ houses or my family members’ houses. I
don’t see anybody anymore. For me that’s tough because I
come from a rather large family and we do family gatherings
on a weekly basis. When I go home, I’ll have to quarantine
myself from my son for a couple days. So, I am not going to
be able to see him. So, just like everybody else, I am trying
to do my part to limit the spread of this disease.
((NATS))
((Shane Hoeft, Paramedic, Glendale Fire Department))
We were wondering, are you making soup tonight?
((Carol))
Yeah, I thought lentil soup sounded like a very good thing.
((Shane Hoeft, Paramedic, Glendale Fire Department))
There you go.
((Carol))
…..especially since the weather…..
((Korin Peltier, Volunteer, Glendale Fire Department))
The rain coming…..
((Shane Hoeft, Paramedic, Glendale Fire Department))
To be honest, since I was a child, I’ve always wanted to be a
firefighter. And that’s pretty much all I ever knew. So, like
there is just something about being a firefighter that just
drew me. The big equipment, the going into fires, helping
people. All that stuff just played into who I am as a person
and who I wanted to be.
((NATS))


((PKG)) EMPTINESS IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
((Banner: A Quiet Capital))
((Reporter/Camera: Jeff Swicord))
((Map:? Washington, D.C.))
((MUSIC/NATS: Up and under…..))
((Banner))
The city has been under a stay-at-home order since March
30th due to COVID-19
((Banner))
Some grocery stores limit the number of customers to
maintain social distancing.
((Banner))
Washington, DC hospitals are expected to have enough
Intensive Care Unit beds and ventilators to meet the need.
((Banner))
Some models predict 1 in 7 residents will contract the
virus. The outbreak in the city is expected to peak in late
April.
((MUSIC/NATS: Up and out))


((PKG)) EXPLAINER ((ANIM/GFX/MUSIC/VIDEO))
COVID-19: Fast Facts
Wash your hands with soap and water.
Before you eat, after using the toilet, after touching anything
many other people touch, like seat on the public bus.
Scrub thoroughly for 20 seconds.
If you cannot wash your hands, use a hand sanitizer.
Taking these steps can prevent not only the Corona virus but
also colds and flu and other viruses.
For more information:
Visit the World Health Organization’s website
www.who.int
or
The Centers for Disease Control’s website
www.cdc.gov

TEASE ((VO/NAT))
Coming up…..
((Banner))
Getting Around
((SOT))
((Chris Golofski, President, Pennsylvania Trolley
Museum))
This car's been completely rebuilt pretty much from the rails
up. It took a lot of work by a lot of the volunteers here and
we're very proud of the work that they do.


BREAK ONE
BUMP IN ((ANIM))


BLOCK B


((PKG)) TROLLEY MUSEUM
((Banner: Expanding Horizons))
((Reporter/Camera: Jeff Swicord))
((Producer/Editor: Jacquelyn De Phillips))
((Map: Washington, Pennsylvania; Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania))
((Main characters: 2 males))
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Chris Golofski, President, Pennsylvania Trolley
Museum))
Welcome aboard!
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Chris Golofski, President, Pennsylvania Trolley
Museum))
When I was about four or five years old, family didn't have a
car.
((Chris Golofski, President, Pennsylvania Trolley
Museum))
All aboard!
((Chris Golofski, President, Pennsylvania Trolley
Museum))
So, just rode street cars. On Sundays, my dad would get a
pass. Only back then, it was seventy-five cents and you
could ride the entire system here in Pittsburgh. So, after
church, we would go out and we would just go ride trolleys.
((NATS))
((Chris Golofski, President, Pennsylvania Trolley
Museum))
I was just fascinated with trolleys, fascinated with public
transportation. So, that's where it all started. Ended up
working for Port Authority here in Pittsburgh. I wanted to be
an operator on the light rail line. Did that for twenty-five
years. Retired from that and now I'm putting my time in
operating trolleys down here at the museum.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((Chris Golofski, President, Pennsylvania Trolley
Museum))
We want people to learn the history and how the cities
develop because at one time, people spent their entire lives
within two miles of where they were born. They walked to
church. They walked to school. They walked to go
shopping. And transportation opened the world up to these
people. Now they could get out.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((Chris Golofski, President, Pennsylvania Trolley
Museum))
This was the typical car that you rode in Pittsburgh through
the thirties and going into World War Two.
((Chris Golofski, President, Pennsylvania Trolley
Museum))
Every Thursday evening, my mom would go play bingo down
at the social hall. And my dad and I, we would walk her
down to the bingo. There was a little drugstore on the corner
and we’d go in and get an ice cream or coke or something.
Then we'd go stand outside and wait for one of these old
cars to come along. We would hop on the car and we would
ride back and forth all night long until bingo was over.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((Chris Golofski, President, Pennsylvania Trolley
Museum))
This car's been completely rebuilt pretty much from the rails
up. It took a lot of work by a lot of the volunteers here and
we're very proud of the work that they do. Different types of
woods, they're hard woods. Pittsburgh was very fond of
cherry. The original rattan seats, these have all been rebuilt.
((NATS/ MUSIC))
((Chris Golofski, President, Pennsylvania Trolley
Museum))
We've got over 50 cars on the property here. The way we
get the trolleys, it's all kind of ways. Sometimes, people
have old car bodies sitting on property. Some of the cars
that we have, people were actually living in them. They were
using them for hunting cabins. In one case, a chicken coop.
((NATS))
((Banner: Oldest car))
((Scott Becker, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Trolley
Museum))
This car has always fascinated me because it's so old.
((Chris Golofski, President, Pennsylvania Trolley
Museum))
Yeah, but we don't really know what year it was built.
((Scott Becker, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Trolley
Museum))
Yeah, we think it was 1875, thereabouts, as best we can tell.
But we know it was built in New York City by a company that
made omnibuses and carriages. And they built it and
shipped it out here to Pittsburgh.
((Chris Golofski, President, Pennsylvania Trolley
Museum))
Right, right. And people call these horse cars, but this
wasn't really a horse car, was it?
((Scott Becker, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Trolley
Museum))
It was pulled by mules, two mules.
((Chris Golofski, President, Pennsylvania Trolley
Museum))
Yeah. And why did they use mules in Pittsburgh?
((Scott Becker, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Trolley
Museum))
Well, first of all, you had a lot of hills. But the mules could
pull better and they were stronger. But also, they knew
when to stop. Horses, you could run for all day long,
whereas a mule, when it got tired, it finally stopped. So,
what I'm told is that they used the animals in four-hour shifts,
but the poor operator who was out front, he had to work a
twelve-hour shift. So, the animals had it better than the
operator.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((Chris Golofski, President, Pennsylvania Trolley
Museum))
This is the shop. These cars, being old and being used,
require a lot of maintenance to keep them running. And you
can't run down to the auto parts store and buy parts for
them. The parts have to be made.
((NATS))
((Chris Golofski, President, Pennsylvania Trolley
Museum))
Some of them are basket cases. Some of them, they come
off the truck, put them on the rails, put the pole up and we
can run them. The New Orleans Car was that way.
((NATS))
((Scott Becker, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Trolley
Museum))
We have the world-famous streetcar named ‘Desire’ from
New Orleans.
((Chris Golofski, President, Pennsylvania Trolley
Museum))
It came up here from New Orleans on a railroad car. We off
loaded it, put it on the track. We were able to run it that
night. Other cars, a lot of the woodwork, all needs to be
replaced. They need complete restoration from the wheels
up.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Chris Golofski, President, Pennsylvania Trolley
Museum))
I think the future of electric trolleys, it's coming a long way.
((NATS))
((Chris Golofski, President, Pennsylvania Trolley
Museum))
Back in the 50s, there was, ‘we need to get rid of the trolleys.
They tie traffic up. They're obsolete. We need to get rid of
them.’
((NATS))
((Chris Golofski, President, Pennsylvania Trolley
Museum))
Well, by 1970, the trolleys were coming back.
((NATS))
((Chris Golofski, President, Pennsylvania Trolley
Museum))
The electricity doesn't pollute. You can carry more people
on light rail cars than you can in buses. Now, there's over 30
cities in the United States that have trolleys or light rail cars.
So, I see it more and more. We're going full circle again. It's
really great.
((NATS/MUSIC))


TEASE ((VO/NAT))
Coming up…..
((Banner))
Singing at Home
((SOT))
((David Jacobson, Singer/Songwriter, On the Bus Band))
So, given this state that I’m in
I’ll have to learn to love again.

BREAK TWO
BUMP IN ((ANIM))


BLOCK C


((PKG)) DAVID JACOBSON
((Banner: I Want My Love to Last))
((Written and Performed by: David Jacobson))
((Map: Reisterstowne, Maryland))
((Main character: 1 male))
((MUSIC))
((David Jacobson, Singer/Songwriter, On the Bus Band))
Hi, I’m Dave Jacobson from the band On the Bus from
Baltimore-Washington, the east coast of the United States.
This song is inspired by the times that we’re living in now
because the only thing you really have is your love. So, I
want my love to last.
((MUSIC))
((David Jacobson, Singer/Songwriter, On the Bus Band))
I’ve been thinking about all those years
And all the love and all the tears
And it’s too bad that we can’t go back
’Cause that’s what we’d have to do
To make all our dreams come true
So given this state that I’m in
I’ll have to learn to love again
And I won’t give up till I win this time
’Cause that’s what I have to do
to make all our dreams come true.
Then the winds won’t blow so hard
And the nights won’t seem quite so dark
And the wheels won’t turn so fast
I want my love to last.
So, I guess I’ll see better days
’Cause I just can’t remain this way
And I’ll try till my dying day
‘Cause that’s what I have to do
To make all my dreams come true.
Then the winds won’t blow so hard
And the nights won’t seem quite so dark
And the wheels won’t turn so fast
I want my love to last.
((MUSIC))
((David Jacobson, Singer/Songwriter, On the Bus Band))
Stay safe, everybody.


CLOSING ((ANIM))
voanews.com/connect


((PKG)) EXPLAINER – PANDEMICS
((ANIM/GFX/MUSIC/VIDEO))
Pandemics are a worst-case scenario for infectious
diseases.
The World Health Organization describes a process through
which a disease can reach the pandemic level.
First, the disease is present in animals and the risk of human
infection is low.
Then the disease begins to infect the humans.
Human to human transmission is the next stage.
Clusters of infection arise in certain geographic areas.
The disease reaches pandemic proportions when it spreads
from continent to continent and establishes itself throughout
the general population.
Pandemics:
HIV/AIDS
Zika Virus
Bird Flu
Spanish Flu
On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization added
Coronavirus/COVID-19 to the list.


CLOSING ((ANIM))
voanews.com/connect


((PKG)) FREE PRESS MATTERS ((NATS/VIDEO/GFX))
((Popup captions over B Roll))
Near the Turkish Embassy
Washington, D.C.
May 16, 2017
President Erdogan’s bodyguard attacks peaceful protesters
“Those terrorists deserved to be beaten”
“They should not be protesting our president”
“They got what they asked for”
While some people may turn away from the news
We cover it
reliably
accurately
objectively
comprehensively
wherever the news matters
VOA
A Free Press Matters


BREAK THREE
BUMP IN ((ANIM))


((PKG)) FREE PRESS MATTERS ((NATS/VIDEO/GFX))
((Popup captions over B Roll))
We make a difference
When we unmask terror
When we explain the impossible
When we confront an uncertain future
When we give voice to the voiceless
The difference is Freedom of the Press
We are the Voice of America where
A Free Press Matters


CLOSING ((ANIM))
voanews.com/connect


SHOW ENDS
















XS
SM
MD
LG