In a display of appreciation for health care workers, nearly 180 artists from across the Okanagan produced a total of 407 small paintings for staff at 琉璃神社 General Hospital.
The artwork for the 鈥淪hare The Sunshine鈥� initiative was revealed at the Okanagan Mission Activity Centre Wednesday afternoon, Oct. 27, just before the wide array of paintings were moved to the hospital for staff to pick and keep for themselves.
Each painting exhibits a positive or uplifting image, and included on the back of the canvas is a message of appreciation, courage or hope.
鈥淚 want to say how grateful we are for all that they do and their diligence in taking care of us,鈥� said event organizer Michelle Droettboom.
鈥淲e hope that all of these paintings bring them some hope, some joy and some sunshine in their life because they need it. They need it.鈥�
The goal was to give every health care worker at the hospital鈥檚 two COVID-19 wards and the ICU department a painting, but there鈥檚 more than enough pieces for other staff members to receive one.
鈥淚 had no idea how many people it takes to keep us safe. I had no idea,鈥� said Droettboom.
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She said that she got the idea for the project following a visit to the Armstrong Sunflower Festival earlier this summer with her granddaughter.
鈥淲e were looking at the pictures, my granddaughter and I and I said, 鈥楾hat鈥檒l put a little sunshine in your life. Who else needs sunshine?鈥� I said the people on the ICU staff,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 literally walked over and called the hospital. I got the idea, and they said it sounds like a good idea.鈥�
She began organizing the initiative on Sept. 3 and put out a call to artists across the Okanagan to see if they were interested in participating. Outside of 琉璃神社, artists from Penticton, Summerland, Peachland, Vernon, Armstrong and Salmon Arm contributed to the project.
鈥淓very organization I contacted said yes,鈥� she said.
琉璃神社-based artist Suzanne Woodward produced two paintings for the initiative and said that Droettboom has a way of getting people enthused and involved.
鈥淣urses work hard and get a lot of negative feedback. Even right now, just dealing with anti-vaxxers has gotta be sort of depressing for them,鈥� said Woodward. 鈥淲e just hope we can spread a little bit of sunshine.鈥�
Jaymi Chernoff, the executive director at 琉璃神社 General Hospital, described the initiative as 鈥渟o touching.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 been such a tumultuous almost two years now. The health care workers 鈥� like everybody else in the community 鈥� they get tired, they get fatigued,鈥� said Chernoff.
鈥淭o receive a gift like this in recognition from the hearts of so many artists across all of the Okanagan Valley is so amazing. It couldn鈥檛 have come at a perfect time.鈥�
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aaron.hemens@kelownacapnews.com
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