Photos: Advocate Good Samaritan nurses bring holiday cheer to units

DOWNERS GROVE – What started as a small, nurses-helping-nurses donation of snacks to the COVID-19 units at Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove turned into thousands of dollars’ worth of items in surprise packages.

Items were delivered Wednesday to all units in the hospital, benefitting nearly all team members working on site in the final weeks of the year.

The Women and Children’s department nurses began collecting donations last month from nurses and medical staff within their own unit to provide some holiday cheer to their hardworking colleagues, fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. Word spread to family members who joined community groups, including Downers Grove North High School’s Honor Society, Goodrich Elementary School in Woodridge, along with area Cub and Girl scout troops, by donating to the cause.

The effort turned into a massive donation of snacks, messages of encouragement and other items, delivered by Women and Children’s nurses and leaders at the hospital, all dressed in holiday gear. Jeanne Weizeorick, a women and children’s nurse who helped lead the effort, dubbed the secret project Operation Holiday Box. Since they started collecting donations, Weizeorick filled her basement with items and colleagues came to help stuff boxes.

Weizeorick said nurses are “going through a lot” throughout the hospital right now, and it’s been encouraging to see how many people appreciate their efforts. “We needed to do something to spark some good feelings.”

“Nurses went into nursing to care for people and caring for people means to care for each other,” added Erin Perry, president of the hospital’s Shared Governance Committee – a committee of nurses where the idea began.

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. The Women and Children’s department nurses at Good Samaritan Hospital began collecting donations last month from nurses and medical staff within their own unit to provide some holiday cheer to their hardworking colleagues, fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. Word spread to family members who joined community groups, including Downers Grove North High School’s Honor Society, Goodrich Elementary School in Woodridge, along with area Cub and Girl scout troops, by donating to the cause. (Photo provided by Advocate Aurora Health)