Hinsdale Hospital Ice Cream Social Sunday will bear little resemblance to the traditional summer event of past years, due to the coronavirus.
The ice cream social, usually run by the Hinsdale Hospital Foundation Junior Board, still will offer the key ingredient _ free ice cream.
But instead of volunteers scooping out the ice cream into cones and dishes for residents to put on their own sprinkles and toppings, all the ice cream will be packaged and delivered via an ice cream truck.
“We are determined to be diligent about keeping our community safe, but thanking them at the same time,” said Lyn Burgess of Amita Hinsdale Hospital.
Especially during the pandemic, “the town has rallied around the hospital with meal trains and donations,” Burgess said. “We can’t thank our villagers enough.”
Instead of one park, the ice cream will be distributed at four parks Sunday:
From 1 to 2:15 p.m. in Brook Park, at Third Street and Columbia
From 2:45 to 4 p.m. in Peirce Park, 700 E. Walnut St.
From 1 – 4 p.m., in Burlington Park, 30 E. Chicago Ave., and in Robbins Park, at Seventh and Vine streets.
The high school age members of the foundation’s Junior Board are always willing volunteers, but in the interest of protecting their health, the hospital will have its staff, all wearing masks, hand out the ice cream in bags, Burgess said.
Adam Maycock, the new president and chief executive officer of Amita Health’s Hinsdale and La Grange hospitals, will distribute ice cream in Burlington Park, Burgess said.
However, unlike prior years, there will be no carnival games, obstacle course or inflatable slide, which might have led to too many people gathering too close together in violation of social distancing guidelines, hospital and Hinsdale Parks and Recreation Department officials said.
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