Beth-Center Middle School donates Christmas gifts to WHS
Members of the Bethlehem-Center Middle School Council, who wrapped and donated Christmas presents for patients at WHS Washington Hospital
Courtesy of Bethlehem-Center School District
Bethlehem-Center Middle School Student Council members sign Christmas cards to accompany Christmas gifts students recently donated to Washington Health System.
Bethlehem-Center Middle School Student Council members recently donated Christmas gifts to Washington Health System Washington Hospital for patients who will be in the hospital on Christmas Day.
Courtesy of Bethlehem-Center School District
Bethlehem-Center Middle School Student Council members, from left, Noah Ritter, Gresen Selestow, and Gavin Cherup, hold some of the Christmas presents the students donated to WHS Washington Hospital.
For patients who end up in the hospital for Christmas, missing the celebrations can make their illness or injury feel more miserable.
So, the Bethlehem-Center Middle School Student Council is helping the staff at Washington Health System Washington Hospital and WHS Greene bring holiday cheer to patients.
Student council members donated 200 wrapped gifts that will be given out to any patients who can’t make it home for Christmas.
“Our kids think it’s so disappointing that some people will be alone for the holiday, and especially with COVID you can’t have a room full of people, so they were so excited about this,” said Erin Beyer, who co-sponsors the middle school student council with teacher Tait Klein.
The students gift-wrapped 200 cozy socks with non-slip soles, and wrote Christmas cards to include with each gift.
“We are so excited to offer these to our patients, and hope it brightens their Christmas Day,” said Stacey Haney Rush, WHS director of patient experience. “Hospitalization of a patient is difficult any time of the year, but it is especially hard on the patient and family members during the holidays.”
Student council members also wrapped 100 pairs of the socks, and included Christmas cards, for residents of a Waynesburg nursing home.
Beyer said the student council has visited the nursing home to drop off Christmas presents and decorate trees for residents for the past several years, but were not able to last year or this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Christmas gifts for WHS patients will be distributed along with presents provided by WHS Patient Family Centered Care (PFCC).
Last year, PFCC volunteer advocate Kathy Myers and her niece made homemade Christmas ornaments, and WHS nurse December Ersek-Dessify made holiday masks for patients.