Special meal helps make up for working holiday
St. Luke's treats workers, patients' families
By Dolly A. Butz Journal staff writer | Posted: Friday, November 23, 2007
It was Thanksgiving, but Sandy Searls had to work.
Instead of being at home enjoying Thanksgiving dinner with her family, Searls was sitting in the St. Luke's Regional Medical Center cafeteria feasting on turkey, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie with a co-worker.
"It really does make it a lot better. I think it's wonderful that they do this for us," said Searls, who works in housekeeping. "You don't seem to miss out. You miss your family, but the meal is really wonderful."
Human resources director Gary Johnson said the hospital has been serving Thanksgiving dinner to its employees and their families for "many years." Five years ago, Johnson said the hospital expanded the meal to the families of patients.
"It's very well accepted by people," he said. "It's an opportunity for us to bring the community together."
Three Thanksgiving meals were served during the day, the first was at midnight, the second at 11 a.m. and the third at 5:30 p.m. In all, Johnson said around 300 people indulged in turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potatoes, dressing, rolls and pumpkin pie,
Lois and Lawrence Davis of Gilmore City, Iowa, were eating Thanksgiving dinner with their grandson Kyle Bottorff, of Hartington, Neb., in the cafeteria. The Davis's daughter and Kyle's mother, Sandra, was hospitalized at St. Luke's.
"It's very, very good," Lois Davis said of the food.
Lawrence Davis said the food was on par with Thanksgiving dinners they have had at home.
Dave Armstrong, a respiratory therapist for St. Luke's, was partaking in his second Thanksgiving dinner of the day in the cafeteria.
"It's just something you do. It's something you learn to live with," Armstrong said of working on a holiday. "It's not bad."
Before his shift began at 3 p.m., Armstrong was able to have dinner with his wife, mother-in-law and niece.
"The food is great," he said. "It's wonderful turkey."
After serving up piping hot plates to staff and families, patient's aide Ashley White took a break from the kitchen to eat with her co-workers. She said the meal was a pretty fair trade-off for having to work the holiday.
"We get a free meal if we stay away from our families," White said. "It's basically a lot of fun working here."
Instead of being at home enjoying Thanksgiving dinner with her family, Searls was sitting in the St. Luke's Regional Medical Center cafeteria feasting on turkey, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie with a co-worker.
"It really does make it a lot better. I think it's wonderful that they do this for us," said Searls, who works in housekeeping. "You don't seem to miss out. You miss your family, but the meal is really wonderful."
Human resources director Gary Johnson said the hospital has been serving Thanksgiving dinner to its employees and their families for "many years." Five years ago, Johnson said the hospital expanded the meal to the families of patients.
"It's very well accepted by people," he said. "It's an opportunity for us to bring the community together."
Three Thanksgiving meals were served during the day, the first was at midnight, the second at 11 a.m. and the third at 5:30 p.m. In all, Johnson said around 300 people indulged in turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potatoes, dressing, rolls and pumpkin pie,
Lois and Lawrence Davis of Gilmore City, Iowa, were eating Thanksgiving dinner with their grandson Kyle Bottorff, of Hartington, Neb., in the cafeteria. The Davis's daughter and Kyle's mother, Sandra, was hospitalized at St. Luke's.
"It's very, very good," Lois Davis said of the food.
Lawrence Davis said the food was on par with Thanksgiving dinners they have had at home.
Dave Armstrong, a respiratory therapist for St. Luke's, was partaking in his second Thanksgiving dinner of the day in the cafeteria.
"It's just something you do. It's something you learn to live with," Armstrong said of working on a holiday. "It's not bad."
Before his shift began at 3 p.m., Armstrong was able to have dinner with his wife, mother-in-law and niece.
"The food is great," he said. "It's wonderful turkey."
After serving up piping hot plates to staff and families, patient's aide Ashley White took a break from the kitchen to eat with her co-workers. She said the meal was a pretty fair trade-off for having to work the holiday.
"We get a free meal if we stay away from our families," White said. "It's basically a lot of fun working here."
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Dick wrote on Nov 26, 2007 6:32 AM: