While there may not be hockey this spring, the entire Penguins organization is doing what it can to help others in our community. In the coming days, we will be putting the spotlight on a few Penguins employees who are going above and beyond to make a difference during these difficult times.
Several members of the Orr's Jewelers Penguins Ice Crew are helping combat COVID-19 from the front lines during their everyday lives. We highlight a few of their stories.
#TogetherApart: Ice Crew on front lines of pandemic
Before Rachel Carretta, 24, can enter her place of work, she needs to have her temperature checked.
Carretta, an occupational therapist at a nursing homes, knows better than most the effects of COVID-19. She can see it in the eyes of her elderly patients.
"Everyone is trying not to think about it or talk about it," said Carretta, a four-year veteran of the Orr's Jewelers Penguins Ice Crew. "A lot of older people don't want to embrace that this is our world right now."
In many ways that's unavoidable. In every senior's room is a television, which typically broadcasts one of many news programs. The sounds permeate through the hallways and no one is left unexposed.
"They are the population (elderly) that's hit the hardest. It's all over the news," said Carretta, who has limited her travels to work, home and the grocery store only when needed. "You can tell that there is a little bit of fear and tension. We don't want to be the next nursing home to be hit."
Thankfully, Carretta's nursing home hasn't had any confirmed cases of COVID-19, and the center is doing everything it can to prevent such an occurrence. The employees are constantly washing their hands, washing the equipment and wearing the N-95 masks.
"We wear face shields that the patients think are funny," Carretta laughed. "Just seeing the precautions we're taking and how calm and confident the staff is is making the patients not feel totally overwhelmed."
Typically, Carretta takes the patients into a gym and helps them with occupational therapies, whether it's increasing range or strength, to enable them to go home. Due to the current pandemic, the gym is closed. So, the therapy sessions have been moved to the patients' tiny rooms.
"There isn't a lot of room to work around what we do," Carretta said. "It's hard for the patients, too, because that just means they're stuck in their room all day."
That's where Carretta's personal connection to her clients comes in handy.
"Having an emotional connection is important. You can tell what upsets people, how they're feeling each day, if they even want to participate," she said. "I've had more conversations about life, health and being appreciative of the little things in life more so now than I ever have.
"Therapy is a really good way for me to figure out who I need to help through this situation and who I shouldn't speak about it with. There are those two polar opposites. Having a relationship with my patients and knowing who is on each end has helped them through this."
Seeing those effects on people she cares about has made Carretta very appreciative of the many nameless people fighting on the front lines.
"Thank you to all the healthcare workers out there. There are so many people involved, from nurses to janitors to maintenance people to therapists. There are so many people to thank," she said. "Do your part and stay home. It won't last forever. But what we can do to save all the people who could be sick, I just think of all the grandmas and grandpas who could contract it. That's who we are doing all of this for. Do what you need to do and stay safe."
Like much of the country, western Pennsylvania is under a strict stay-at-home order. But, of course, eating is a part of survival. And for those who cannot leave their homes - either due to inability or even vulnerability - much help is needed.
That's where people like Trisha Pipchok, 24, have stepped in.
Pipchok, working through an app, is working to bring groceries to those who cannot leave their homes. It began when her works hours were cut due to the current pandemic.
"Instead of sitting in the house all day long and all week long I decided to do this shopping," said Pipchok, who is a geologic specialist. "I was nervous about it at first with all the stuff going on, you're buying and delivering groceries to people and you have no idea who they are.
"You go around to grocery stores and pick up items that they want and just deliver it to them."
And on one occasion she even struck up a unique conversation on a delivery.
"One lady was telling me that she has to take her son to hockey practice. I told her I play ice hockey and am on the Penguins Ice Crew, and she was shocked," laughed Pipchok, who is in her first season with the Orr's Jewelers Penguins Ice Crew. "That struck up a cool conversation."
Such stories, however, are atypical as many request the items be left instead of meeting face-to-face. But Pipchok is still being exposed at the grocery stores while shopping, which caused some early trepidation.
"It was a little fearful in the beginning because you don't know whom you are delivering to or whom they've come in contact with," she said. "I've gotten a lot of 'leave it on the doorstep and I'll come out and get them after you leave.' I don't come into contact with the people. But it's the shopping aspect where you could be possibly be at risk."
Pipchok has taken all the necessary precautions like wearing gloves, a mask and keeping her distance from other shoppers. And despite the risk, she feels it is worth it.
"You're helping people. They don't want to go out or can't go out," she said. "You can do it for them, and make sure you're protecting yourself and protecting them. It is definitely rewarding and helpful."
During the current lockdown measures, many bars and restaurants have been shut down. And if they are operating illegally, they may get a visit from Nicci DePietro.
DePietro, 25, works for the state police in the Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement. Ordinarily the second-year Ice Crew member would be making sure bars weren't overserving, serving after hours, selling to minors, or things of that nature.
But with the current rules in place, DePietro's duties have shifted.
"That's all halted because all the bars are closed," said DePietro, who covers over six counties and 3,000 licenses. "Now we make sure bars are closed or only open for takeout food or beer, and that they're wearing masks."
Lately, DePietro hasn't had many issues. That, however, wasn't the case at the beginning of the lockdown.
"At first a lot of establishments weren't listening or didn't care," she said. "After that it's slowed down quite a bit. I fear it's going to ramp up. If this continues much longer I fear people will say heck with it and start back up."
For DePietro, who oversees so many different establishments and a wide area, her job exposes her to the elements every day. Everything from illegal gambling to COVID-19 could be awaiting her every time she leaves the house.
"Not all bars are very nice. You don't know what you're walking into," she said. "If we have to shut them down, they're not wearing masks because they're breaking the law already. There is a fear of walking into so many places a day and bringing it home to my family. No one has got it yet from my station."
Making the situation even more risky is that DePietro is a member of the highly vulnerable population as someone who has asthma. Just as her other fellow officers, she is taking special precautions.
"If I get it, it might be bad," she acknowledged. "We wear masks and enforce laws that establishments have masks."
DePietro has juggled both jobs as a police officer by day and Ice Crew member by night. Having two jobs kept her "pretty busy," but it's a type of busy she would much prefer right now.
"I can't wait for hockey to be back," she laughed. "I played hockey since I was 7. Ice Crew was like a dream for me. It's really fun."
