Connecticut Club Owner Makes Generous Mask Donation

Through club members, friends and family, Datsko identified contacts at four Hartford area hospitals to send the KN95 masks to. He gave 200 KN95 masks each to Hartford Hospital, Manchester Memorial Hospital, UConn Health and St. Francis Hospital and 100 to the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center. He donated the final 100 to a variety of local medical facilities. 

He then called USTA League captains and club members to pick up masks for their teams, families and friends. Everyone was welcome to stop by the facility to pick up masks (25 per captain and five per member). In addition, he gave them out in bunches to teaching pros to distribute to their students. 

“People have been very appreciative and thankful and amazed at what Rick is willing and able to do,” Datsko said. “He paid quite a lot of money for these masks, and the fact that he’s willing to donate them like this is incredible.”

According to Datsko, within 2-3 weeks, 95% of the masks were gone. 

“I’m glad, in a small way, I was able to help out and get the masks where they were needed quickly,” he said. “We have a teaching pro who is a respiratory therapist, and what he’s shared with me about the lack of supplies, how unprepared the hospitals are and how much they are struggling, is truly awful. It’s a good feeling to be part of something like this, but all the credit goes to Rick. This was his master plan.”

Soon after his first shipment arrived, Wu placed another identical order of 3,000 more masks to be distributed similarly. At the time of writing, the masks were expected to arrive on Friday, April 17. 

“I’ve been here for 36 years now and just want to help out. I feel really bad especially for the tennis community right now, so I just do my part so less people get sick and can come back to work,” Wu said. 

Datsko added, “Rick is more of an under-the-radar type of guy, and the way he shows his love for the people at his club is by the actions he takes and not the words he speaks.”