COVID Gratitude: Thanks for the many ways you’ve supported CHCC during the pandemic

Updated: Dec. 30, 2020

As COVID-19 has caused chaos across the nation and around the world, the local community has rallied around Christian Health Care Center and the people who live and work here.

Honestly, it has been incredible to see just how people in this area support each other. Through prayers, well-wishes, meals, gifts and so much more, CHCC has been lifted up by this generous community throughout the pandemic.

We know that things have been difficult for everyone, certainly not just here at CHCC. Despite that, people have turned the pandemic into an opportunity to love, to serve and to support friends, loved ones, neighbors and even strangers.

Our sincere thanks are offered to the community for the many ways you all have supported those who live and work at CHCC in Lynden. We’ve done our best to compile a comprehensive list of donations. If anything is missing, please contact us so we can add it to this list.

Personal protective equipment, including masks and face shields:

• Whatcom Mask Collective: Hundreds of hand-sewn fabric masks.
• Dr. Geoffrey T Tupper DDS: Two-plus cases of face masks.
• GR Distillery: Hand sanitizer.
• Bellewood Distilling/Kathy Miller: Hand sanitizer.
• Lynden School District (Superintendent Jim Frey): 50 protective goggles.
• Gilmore’s North Star Upholstery (Samuel Davis): Face shields.
• Megan Ellingsen, MD and Whatcom Hospice Foundation: Face shields.
• Mary Reynolds: Face shields.
• Kelly Woodard (speech therapist): Face shields.
• Katie: Face shields.
• Grizzly Industrial (Brent Hanko): N95 masks.
• North Sound ACH: Fabric masks.
• Hilda Vinyard: Fabric masks.
• Dolores Bosman: Youth/child masks for staff members’ children, fabric masks.
• Karen Telgenhoff and friends: Fabric masks and PPE gowns.
• Sue Dykstra (Dekoekkoek): Fabric masks (more than 1,000 so far!).
• Norma Snider: Fabric masks.
• Jenny Redmond: Fabric masks.
• Carolyn: Fabric masks.
• Patti B.: Fabric masks.
• Jan H.: Fabric masks.
• Riveters Collective: Caps to keep residents’ heads warm.
• Jean Weindard: Fabric masks.

Recreation supplies, including crafts, magazines, books and donations for various resident activities

• Elisa Claassen: Magazines.
• Karen Wilkins and family: DVDs.
• Garza family: Easter bunny crafts.
• Diane Van Weerdhuizen: Watercolor paper and coloring set.
• Katie Burke: Box of craft supplies.
• Dorothy Polinder: Activity and gardening supplies.
• Patti Rowlson/PR Consulting Inc.: Puzzles, word searches, craft paper, headphones.
• Fairway Drug: Sudoku, magazines.
• Marlae Holtzheimer: Donated magazine subscriptions.
• Susan Friesen: Hymnal.
• Mount Baker Theater: Complimentary tickets to a streaming version of A Celtic Family Christmas with Natalie MacMaster & Donnell Leahy.

Meals and food items for CHCC team members

• North County Christ the King: 21-plus bags of groceries (shelf stable and fresh).
• Woods Coffee (Bender Plaza): Complimentary coffee beverages.
• Loca Mocha – Sumas: Complimentary coffee beverages.
• Sharon Shewmake & Good To Go Meat Pies: Savory lunch/dinner pies.
• PR Consulting: Chocolates for t-rec, paninis and salads.
• Edaleen Dairy: Cases of cheese.
• Everson & Nooksack Girl Scouts: Cases of cookies.
• Vitality Bowls Bellingham (Amanda White): Smoothies.
• Karen Timmer and the team at Windermere: Salad, flat bread and cheesecake delivered by The Mill in Lynden.
• Lynden McDonald’s: Complimentary “Thank You” meals.
• Dolores Bosman: Food items.
• Lynn Bennett: Arbonne shake bottles with mixes.
• Jamie Palmer: Arbonne shake bottles with mixes.
• Jenn Holmgren: Lunch and snacks.
• Patricia Martin: Sweet treats.
• Karen Wilkins, Kaitlin and Casey Mark: Weekly treats; donuts for nurses stations and front office.
• Marlae Holtzheimer: Sweet treats.
• Annette Postma: Freshly baked treats.
• Highgate Senior Living: Coffee and tea.
• Sig’s Funeral & Cremation Services: Almond sticks.

Cards and encouraging words

• Meridian Christ the King: Cards for selected residents.
• Karen McKinley: Card.
• Cheryl Newberger: Card.
• The GowanGroup: Notes of encouragement.
• The Turners (Angie, Addison, Joshua): Drawings for residents.
• DeVries family: Drawings for residents.
• Sally Gibbs: Handmade cards with encouraging words for residents.
• Doug Dodge and family: Heroes Work Here sign in front of CHCC.
• Nora Taylor and Diane Cronk: Handmade cards for residents.
• Kristan Thoms: Christmas cards made by students.

Exterior activities, such as window visits and drive-by events

• Debbie VanderVeen, Erica, Kara, Brooke: Calf window visit.
• Third Christian Reformed Church: Car parade for residents (including encouraging signs).
• Thea Mancha: Sponsorship of horse visits via Animals as Natural Therapy.
• Animals as Natural Therapy: Horse visits.
• Bellewood Farms and Gear Heads of Whatcom County: Father’s Day classic car cruise.
• Dee Dykstra: Facilitated a visit from a group of singers.
• Rover Stay Over: Window visits with dogs.
• Boy Scout Troup 4028: Drive-by lighted Christmas parade.
• Whatcom County Dairy Women: Window visit with “reindeer calves.”

Gifts for staff and residents

• Alissa Underwood: Flowers.
• Teri Hilt: Jewelry for CHCC team members.
• Katie Taylor: Headbands for CHCC team members.
• CDA World of Art (Vikki Westmoreland): Painted and decorative rocks.
• Karen Wilkins and family: $10 gift cards to Edaleen Dairy.
• Janet Newton: Hanging basket for a resident.
• Alm Hill Gardens: Bushels of freshly cut tulips.
• Malorie Tjoelker: Pussy willows.
• Surroundings Gift Shop: Numerous gift bags for staff.
• New Legacy Lynden: Fairway Center gift card.
• Lesa Ferguson, COUNTRY Financial: $750 in gift certificates to Marta’s Cocina.
• Van Wingerden’s Home & Garden: Flowering annuals for the courtyard garden.
• Van Der Giessen Nursery Inc.: Flowering annuals for the courtyard garden.
• North County Christ the King: Mother’s Day gifts.
• Hoekema family, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Ms. Updike, Ms. Neil, & the Thilo family: Hand lotion, energy drinks and granola bar treats for team members.
• Dianne Vanweerdhuizen: Gift cards for staff.
• Mary Reynolds: Gift cards for staff.
• Becky: Flowers.
• Susan Friesen: Hymnal.
• Young Adults Community at North County Christ the King: 30 gift bags for our annual Adopt-a-Resident Christmas program.
• Emily Van Weerdhuizen: Mini light-up Christmas trees for each resident.
• Every person who participated in CHCC’s Christmas Adopt-a-Resident program. Because of you, every resident received a gift!

Other

• Hearing Northwest: Various sizes of hearing aid batteries.
• North County Christ the King: Coordination of free child care for health care workers and first responders in our community. Five CHCC team members are using this child care multiple times per week.
• Hannegan Seafoods: Donated shipping containers and ice packs to help CHCC transport COVID-19 tests.
• Whatcom Hospice: Care packages for hospice residents, including lavender-scented bath kits and candles.
• Darren Johnson, HomeSmart One Realty: Use of office space for CHCC employment interviews.
• Homestead Fitness: Membership fee forgiveness for health care workers who cannot risk exposure.