A simple message makes a difference for Richards High School staff
More than ever, personal gestures mean everything.
Leaders at Richards High School are combatting feelings of isolation as the pandemic has denied people many of their typical social interactions. Heading to work, seeing neighbors, visiting with family, or just going out to a restaurant comprise important elements of daily life and mental health.
Officials from the school in Oak Lawn recently drove to the homes of all staff members to deliver lawn signs as a reminder of their value – and a simple message that they’re missed.
In addition to Principal Mike Jacobson, staff members Alison Wilde, Beth Janus Doyle, Cora Umecker, Courtney Easter, Caroline Mesaf, Deb Swanson, Danielle Krawisz, Janeen Abdelhadi, Kelly Fleming, Kelly Lucca, Kirstin Cucio, and Sarah Szczepkowski delivered signs.
Their friends appreciated the effort.
“I’ve worked for several districts and this is the one that feels like home. Through every challenge in life I have felt tremendous support from everyone in 218. This sign was a reminder that we’re still all in this together. It also was necessary comic relief and I’m grateful for that!” said Spanish teacher Alexis Morford.
Science teacher Stan Natonek summed up the gesture succinctly.
“Leadership isn’t about talking it’s about doing,” he said.
Richards planned the outreach as a surprise.
“We actually buzzed Mike (Jacobson) in thinking it was a mail guy … didn’t even greet him at the door because they usually drop things off and leave… until I heard a ‘hello’ in the hallway. I ran out in a panic,” laughed social worker Alicia Newhall.
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English teacher Nicole Petrauskas lives alone. The gesture carried enormous significance for her.
“As we’re all dealing with such high anxiety during this horrific crisis on a literal life and death level, we are also dealing with teaching young humans over technology. It has not been easy, but we do it because we’re Bulldogs,” she said.
“Mike Jacobson is our leader; he’s stepped up and kept us going with the truth we need and his much-needed sense of humor. I applaud him for being at the building every single day. I am always relieved when I can go to him with a problem, and he’s there – responding almost immediately,” she added.
If teachers were not home, colleagues just planted the sign. Teachers Darcey and Todd Reczkiewicz found the sign when they returned.
“We loved seeing our sign in the yard! Throughout the entire shelter in place our building administration has been super responsive to helping us in anyway necessary. We are so thankful to part of the awesome Bulldog Community!” said Darcey Reczkiewicz.
Fitness Center workers make PPE for front line heath workers
Coworkers and staff across Franciscan Health Fitness Centers, including facilities in Chicago Heights and Schererville and Chesterton, Indiana, have pulled together, along with support from Tonn and Blank Construction, to produce much needed Personal Protection Equipment for Franciscan Health staff.
The first project, assembling approximately 7,000 face shields to be used by frontline caregivers, was accomplished in just four days. Tonn and Blank made prototypes and tutorials to train the health club staff on how to make the face shields. The shields have been distributed to various local Franciscan Health locations to aid the doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists, other clinicians and staff.
Making isolation gowns for the Franciscan Health locations was the next project. Over 5,000 gowns toward a goal of 10,000, had been produced as of last week.
Due to state guidelines surrounding the “Stay at Home” order, Franciscan Health Fitness Centers services have been suspended and Fitness Center staff was redeployed to help in these efforts for Franciscan.
“The fitness center staff was so excited for the opportunity to do their part to keep their front-line clinical peers as safe and protected as possible. Being able to manufacture PPE for our Franciscan Healthcare Heroes has truly given our work purpose beyond measure,” said Carrie Fleming, Manager, Fitness Center Schererville. “We are honored to assist in any way we can, all hands-on deck. Our mission is alive and well at Franciscan Health Fitness Centers.”
Orland Township distributes groceries
Orland Township distributed free groceries last week to township residents who are experiencing financial hardship since the onset of COVID-19 pandemic.
The Township Food Pantry gave out 250 boxes packed with perishable and non-perishable grocery items and a gift card to a local grocery store.
“Orland Township residents, local organizations and businesses continue to amaze and overwhelm us with their generosity,” said Supervisor Paul O’Grady. “Because of their continued commitment to the community, we (were) able to pay it forward and offer any resident in need a box packed full of groceries.”
He also praised out donations from Orland Park Lions Club, the Orland Park Kiwanis Club and John Doria/Christopher Burke Engineering.”
The Orland Township Food Pantry continues to operate on a drive-thru basis.
Chicago Mask Makers donate PPE to hospitals
Chicago Mask Makers is a group of modern day Rosie the Riveters that has sewn and donated nearly 4,000 masks for front line ICU medical staff working directly with COVID-19 patients in more than 50 Chicago-area hospitals and health centers.
The group was formed by seven women who found each other through Facebook and have rallied makers across the Chicagoland area to help address the PPE shortage.
Today the Facebook group has nearly 1,600 supportive members and more than 150 volunteers who cut fabric or sew masks.
The administrators worked with two major Chicago hospitals to develop and refine the pattern for the masks and today more than 50 area hospitals and health care providers are using the masks to cover and extend the life of their N95 masks and surgical masks which are having to be reused due to the supply shortage. The masks are machine washable and can be re-used day after day and also includes a lining of non-woven filtration fabric and an inner pouch to insert a filter to provide as much protection as possible.
The masks are donated free and the majority of the materials have been donated by area residents. Many makers have dug into their own material stashes and donated fabric, interfacing and bias tape and pipe cleaners.
The group needs more makers as it has requests for many thousands more masks from area hospitals and front-line health care providers.
More information, including patterns and sewing tutorials are at https://www.chicagomaskmakers.org/.
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