Students show heart for health care workers

When a local retired teacher reached out with an idea – feeling like health care workers were receiving a bit too much flack (with protests outside hospitals) and not enough love – our students answered!

The idea: create a Bouquet of Hearts (and other caring heart-inspired messages) to support all the amazing things health care workers are doing to keep our community and the people in it as safe and healthy as possible. With the goal of dropping the messages at various facilities on the same day: Sunday, October 3rd.

Students in Mrs. Taylor’s grade 4/5 class at Lord Tweedsmuir Elementary were the first to eagerly raise their hands in interest … with kids working right up until the bell on Friday as they glued small red hearts onto their carefully crafted messages of support and appreciation.

The team at École Herbert Spencer Elementary School also jumped on board. “Kim Thomas, our amazing librarian, had her Library Monitors fill out the hearts to let health care workers know that they are not forgotten,” said Principal Karen Catherwood. “We wanted to show our love, continued support and appreciation for all they’re doing.”

So, with the hard work of our students, and the help of a few little tape-inspired assistants, we covered a few entrances at Royal Columbian Hospital this weekend with beautiful words and crafts.

Did it make a difference? To the nurse who noticed the art going up, and asked if she could take a picture to share with her fellow staff, it did. As it did for the paramedic who came over to thank the small taping crew … saying the act filled his heart and was the highlight of his day.

Here’s a peak at more of what this effort looked like …