Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Library organizes Happy Mail for residents, staff of The Lutheran Home
Brandywine Community Library asks community to send cards, notes of encouragement
The Brandywine Community Library organized Happy Mail asking the community to send cards and pictures of encouragement to residents of The Lutheran Home at Topton.
“We are trying to send some sunshine to our friends who live at The Lutheran Home as well as the essential workers who care for them,” said Heather Wicke, Library Director at the Brandywine Community Library. “We miss seeing the residents and staff members and look forward to the day when we can gather again in the library.”
Called Happy Mail, the project came together with the help and collaboration of a Lutheran Home employee, Jessica Bortz, and library board member Amy Crouse.
“These residents are our neighbors and a part of our library family,” said Wicke. “We wanted to help them and are still looking for more ways to do that but believe encouragement is needed the most right now.”
When Wicke wanted to do something for the residents, Crouse said she reached out to Bortz who is a former coworker and an occupational therapist at The Lutheran Home.
“We wanted the staff to know their efforts day in day out are appreciated by the community,” said Crouse. “The residents have not been able to see their families for more than two months. I hope that the cards and drawings bring a smile to the residents’ faces to know someone is thinking about them.”
“I’m so happy to be part of organizing this Happy Mail for the residents and staff. It’s been a rough time for all for the last few months,” said Bortz. “What I like most about this project is that I’m giving back and doing something for others. I hope it brings smiles to their faces and makes them feel like someone is thinking of them and feel loved.”
The library asked community members to mail in cards and children’s drawings and pictures to share with the residents of The Lutheran Home. Their hope is to give a card and picture to every resident and the staff members who are working directly with those residents.
“It’s been a great start— we have collected approximately 50 cards for residents and 25 for staff,” said Wicke. “Our goal is 200 more cards. At this time we are still focusing on the residents and staff because they are in the middle of the crisis right now. We can’t imagine what they are going through as we sit safely at home. We’d love to continue making and sending cards to other groups if there is a need after The Lutheran Home.”
The second batch of cards was delivered recently and more letters are still needed.
Bortz said that this pandemic has really taken a toll on both the residents and staff.