Going green to thank frontline workers
Hearts displayed on local homes show support
St. Patrick’s Day and Valentine’s Day have come and gone, but the green heart decorations popping up in the windows of some Macomb Township homes are celebrating essential workers instead of the holidays.
Jerry Apel is on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic as a firefighter in two southeastern Michigan communities. As a Macomb Township resident and a dad trying to keep his kids who are home from school during the pandemic occupied, Apel came up with the green hearts project. On March 19, Apel posted to the Macomb Township Voices! Facebook page facebook.com/groups/ MacombTownshipVoices about the project.
“A couple of subs at 21/ Card are putting green hearts on their homes to show support of our health care workers and first responders on the front lines of the fight w COVID-19,” Apel wrote.
He added green was chosen for the hearts as it is the historic color for medic areas in past wars. Children looking for projects while home from school can make the green hearts and adhere them to the doors and windows of their homes to show support.
“My three kids were pretty excited to get moving on it,” Apel said, adding he had heard of other parts of the country using red hearts for a similar purpose.
In the Facebook post, Apel also suggested subdivisions put green ribbons on their entrances to show support of essential workers.
Apel is a resident of Lake Arrowhead subdivision at 21 Mile Road and Card Road, and that originally posted the green hearts project information on a Facebook page designed for use strictly by the subdivision.
“Initially I made the post for neighborhood kids to do art projects and stuff,” Apel said.
In response to his subdivision Facebook post, Apel found homeowners posted pictures of their homes decorated with the green hearts.
As a member of Macomb Township Voices! Facebook, he decided to post the information there as well to seek interest beyond his subdivision.
Apel said that he has seen the hearts in other local subdivisions, for example on the windows and doors of homes in the area of 24 Mile Road and Romeo Plank Road. Apel has seen support in another form as well — signs posted along Foss Road in support of firefighters, police, and medical personnel.
“I’m a firemen by trade, so we are also responding to situations where people need care and transport. But the hospital healthcare workers are the true heroes here, caring for those who need it most on a constant basis. PPE shortages are already occurring, but these brave people are staying the course and doing what they can to help us all. I think if they saw green hearts everywhere, it would help show them how much we appreciate their efforts,” Apel said.
Medical personnel responded to Apel’s Macomb Township Voices! Facebook post to indicate they had seen the green hearts and appreciated efforts to make them feel supported.