Even with up-to-date forecasts, we really don’t know how the weather will impact our day until it arrives. When I reflect on last month’s massive snowstorm, I’m in awe of how quickly and selflessly the team of St. Ann’s Community overcame obstacles to care for our Residents and Patients and keep them safe. And we even had fun in the process!

Faced with A LOT of snow in a very short amount of time, many staff members spent over two hours on the roads to get here. Those without transportation didn’t give up, either; they wanted to come in. So St. Ann’s rallied all snow-worthy vehicles to pick them up. It was inspiring to see the vans, trucks and four-wheel drive vehicles leaving our campuses to brave the conditions, and then return safely with more staff, ready to jump in. As one of the drivers on this mission, I can honestly say it was fun to come to the rescue!

At the same time, other team members stepped outside of their normal work environments to help. For example, members of the Finance Department worked side by side with CNAs to ensure that our Residents at St. Ann’s Home enjoyed their meals in a timely manner. And Dining Services made sure that the coffee and hot chocolate flowed all day long for whoever needed a break or warm up.

After a very long day at work, digging out cars was the last thing our staff wanted to do. If you had to report to your workplace that day, I am sure you can relate! Thankfully, our Grounds Team does a tremendous job in all types of weather. What a blessing to see them, along with many other volunteers, in the parking lots armed with shovels and snowbrushes to help staff members dig out their cars! Through it all, there was plenty of laughter—and a little bragging—about who could shovel faster, even while wearing boots with four-inch heels!

I’m grateful to be surrounded by such inspiring and caring people, and to have some new friends! When I went to the cafeteria for lunch the next day, I knew that others felt the same. I saw a lot of high-fives going around and heard compliments like, “Hey, there’s my hero!”

Honestly, it was a joy for me to see how St. Ann’s Community transformed the worst storm of the winter into an opportunity to do our best for our Residents and Patients, and to see the best in each other.

Who knew that a snowstorm could be such a gift?