It’s pretty amazing the way students — and others — in my area have found a way to show local health care workers just how much they appreciate them for doing what they do on a daily basis during this pandemic.

Jessica Johnson, foundation major gifts development specialist for Ephraim McDowell Health, came up with the idea of making encouraging cards to let those workers know they are appreciated and called it Health Care Hero.

Her children were part of a group that randomly was looking for a way to do something creative and helpful. That led to the idea of writing and/or drawing encouraging and/or inspiring cards and dropping them off at the front entrances of Ephraim McDowell Regional Medical Center in Danville, Ephraim McDowell Fort Logan Hospital in Stanford, and Ephraim McDowell James B. Haggin Hospital in Harrodsburg.
Johnson got mailboxes marked “Hero Mail Call” and has been pleased with the response the last week or so.

“It’s an easy way to show kindness. Anybody can do it, not just kids. Adults can show their appreciation as well,” Johnson said. “It is simple to write on a piece of paper or card and just say thank you . Our health care workers do an amazing job but they are getting tired. It’s been great how the communities have rallied to show their appreciation for our everyday heroes in the medical field.

“Health care workers who are on the front lines and behind the lines need us to inspire and encourage them to continue. We need them and are thankful for them.”

While it’s easy to be in a mood to do this at Christmas, Johnson hopes community members will continue to drop off cards.

Her goal is to make sure every health care worker gets at least one encouraging card.

You can also put a specific health care worker’s name on the card if you want and it will be delivered to him or her.