Nurses at Kenmore Mercy Hospital sponsor 2nd annual 'Spring Happiness' gift bag collection drive for local community

Gift bags delivered to area residents through Ken-Ton Meals on Wheels this week

Nurses at Kenmore Mercy Hospital are always taking care of patients but, once a year, they organize a special gift bag collection drive to spread some spring happiness to area residents.

After everything was collected this time around, the nurses were able to donate more than 350 bags – filled with toiletries, puzzle books and other gift items – to area seniors through the Ken-Ton Meals on Wheels program. Program participants will receive the gift bags this week along with their daily meal delivery.

“We absolutely love our community,” said Mary LaMartina, R.N. “During the COVID pandemic, our community supported us 100%, so we just wanted to do something to give back to them.”

“I’m so proud to be part of a nursing team that continually talks about their ‘why,’ ” said Heather Telford, vice president of patient care services at Kenmore Mercy Hospital. “We take care of our patients inside the building, but our nursing team also thinks about the community.”

Ken-Ton Meals on Wheels Executive Director Jessica Nowak said, “How grateful we are to be partnering with you (Kenmore Mercy Hospital) and to be able to get these beautiful gifts to make our clients feel connected, involved and cared for.”