Bells Elementary School Students Spread Joy & Thanks to Jefferson Washington Township Hospital Workers
Students at Bells Elementary School, including fourth-grader Ryan Johnson and fifth-grader Maria Demore, recently put together handmade “thank you” cards for healthcare workers at Jefferson Washington Township Hospital. Spearheaded by third-grade teacher and Future Acts advisor Christine Gentile, the project was a simple way for staff and students to give thanks to their local healthcare heroes. The idea came to Gentile last month when speaking to her neighbor Christina Romano, Jefferson Cherry Hill Hospital’s Director of Service Excellence and Guest Relations, about how healthcare workers’ lives have changed. She knew that many of her students involved with Future Acts – a community service organization throughout the Washington Township School District – would gladly participate, and she extended the opportunity to various schools.
“Not only is it important to keep the kids involved, but we have a lot of healthcare workers who are family members, friends, and neighbors. We wanted to let them know they are in our thoughts,” Gentile said.
Demore is just one student who has seen firsthand the impact of the pandemic on essential personnel and knows how far a small token of appreciation can go. Her mother is a nurse, and her father is a public safety telecommunicator for Gloucester County Emergency Response,
“It feels good to help people during this crisis and to bring joy to those who are working every day to keep us safe,” she said. “I know how much it means when people thank them and their co-workers for all they do.”
Gentile noted that her students’ thank-you messages are meant for all hospital workers, clinical and non-clinical alike, recognizing the hard work of those in environmental services, food and nutrition services, transport, and administration.
“We appreciate everything they do, every day.”
Bells Elementary School Future Acts students Ryan Johnson and Maria Demore were among those who crafted handmade cards for local healthcare workers.