Through Lakewood Connects’ support of local PTAs at under-served elementary schools, we have enjoyed more connections with more of our community. Recently, PTA leader and close friend Brandi Koskie, who supports Foothills Elementary School, reached out with a connection to her friend Lauren Martin, the National Retail Activation Manager for Lily’s Sweets in Boulder, Colorado. Lily’s wanted to donate some of their product, high-end candy, to an appropriate entity. In conversations with Lauren I found out that they had over 1500 individual units of candy to donate…quite a lot!

I was able to reach out to friend Monica Buhlig, Group Director of Community Health, Denver Metro Region for Centura Health. She connected me to Amanda Popp, Philanthropy Officer at St. Anthony Health Foundation, who informed me that starting Friday, May 15, it was “Hospital Week.” She arranged for a day when Lily’s could drop off the candy at the hospital. Then, administrators could hand deliver it to the 1500 employees at the hospital thanking them for their front line service. 

This is greatly satisfying for everyone in the community to be able to serve the front line servants!

In addition, Amanda mentioned that community members could give her homemade “thank you” and encouragement posters to set up along the walls of the employee entrance to the hospital. Local chamber of commerce group Alameda Connects and the local Thrivent Financial office made posters.

The response from Amanda from St. Anthony’s reads: “Thank you again for your tremendous support of St. Anthony Hospital during this challenging time–we are grateful for your partnership. I hung the posters yesterday and wanted to share a few photos. These are located at the associate entrance and will provide joy and encouragement to our caregivers on a daily basis. It means a lot that you and your families took the time to create these!”. 

Amanda reports that the Lily’s Sweets candy was a “huge hit” among the Flight for Life crewmembers!  

Lakewood Connects exists to make connections that transform the story of our community from one of detachment, struggle, and fear to one of connection, thriving, and courage. Thanks for your support and encouragement that makes it possible to do the impossible!