Frontline healthcare workers treated to Thanksgiving meals during their work day

Many of us gathered with family today but folks like frontline workers, they were working hard today. However many still enjoyed a thanksgiving feast like the medical staff at St. Mary’s Medical Center in Duluth.

This Thanksgiving frontline workers were treated to a very filling Thanksgiving lunch break all provided by Essentia Health.

CEO David Herman says, "The people here are all the people ready and waiting to serve people who may not be having as good as a Thanksgiving as many of us are having today."

Essentia staff provided the turkey, mashed potatoes, green beans, stuffing, and pie all hot and ready for workers to grab.

"It was very nice because I didn’t get to go home for the holiday today, I get to work, so it was nice to have a meal”, says Pharmacy technician Sydney Bertrand who was working on the holiday.

She says that she was looking forward to the pumpkin pie the most. "I was so happy it was here today because my mom makes the best homemade pumpkin pie and I was unable to go home for it”, she says.

For Sydney and other workers, to be recognized in this way by Essentia is very meaningful to them. Bertrand says, "I think it is incredibly important to feel like you are needed in your position and you are wanted to be here versus just being another employee."

And with all medical professionals have gone through with the COVID pandemic it’s important to keep that recognition going.

CEO David Herman says, "You know for a lot of these past two years now it has been about a virus but it’s really about the people. And this is about getting us together as people, as individuals, sharing the experience and sharing good time. And sharing food."