Alison Jacques and members of Operation Appreciation delivering flowers and cards to health care workers outside Medicine Hat Regional Hospital (Tiffany Goodwein/CHATNewsToday)

By Tiffany Goodwein

Operation Appreciation aims to lift spirits of health care workers

Oct 3, 2021 | 9:50 AM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – A group of individuals in this city are doing what they can to show their appreciation for healthcare workers.

Operation Appreciation was launched by Alison Jacques, who wanted to bring some joy to hospital workers, who are overworked and exhausted as they care for patients with COVID-19.

Starting bright and early at 7 a.m. and again at 3 p.m. Jacques, her young daughter and some volunteers deliver flowers, and Tim Hortons gift cards to staff who are leaving their shift for the day.

“Oh this is beautiful, thank-you, thank-you, you are going to make me cry. I’ve been nursing for over 30 years and I have never cried like this,” said one nurse outside the hospital.

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Jacques said reactions like this aren’t entirely unusual.

“It ranges anywhere from a smile, to sometimes tears. They are really appreciative of what we are doing, and I think when they get off shift, to have a nice little surprise like a rose, or a gift card makes their day,” Jacques said.

Since Jacques started Operation Appreciation, she has been flooded with offers of support from the community. Earlier this week, it was all hands on deck at The Post Thrift Store

“Trish (Richard) at The Post volunteered her time and some of her staff volunteered and they were making care packages, with all sorts of snacks and personal care items, and drinks and stuff,” Jacques said.

Approximately 1,000 care packages were created for front-line medical staff.

Students with the Medicine Hat Public School Division also pitched in by writing 1,000 thank-you cards that will be sent with the care packages.

The initiative is also gaining momentum outside of the boundaries of Medicine Hat. Jacques said a resident in Lethbridge is also looking to adopt Operation Appreciation for health care workers in that city

In the meantime, Jacques is hoping to keep the support coming for health care workers in Medicine Hat, with plans to organize more support walks in the future.

You can find more information on the Operation Appreciation Facebook page.