Generally, one does not want to ‘spread’ anything inside a hospital. But on Sunday, December 25, the infectious spirit of Christmas will spread among the patients and caregivers of Blessing and Illini Community hospitals.
The source of this seasonal outbreak is known. It’s a Blessing nurse and his very big band of “elves”!
When not bedside at Blessing Hospital, Tyler Plant, RN, is a woodworker and owner of Plant Creative Wood Design in Quincy. Tyler, his mother and father - Deanna and Michael - Tyler’s friends Laura Nothold and Melissa Taylor - and an army of community volunteers teamed up to cut, bind and decorate 350 wooden Christmas cards that will be given to hospitalized patients at Blessing and Illini on Christmas Day.
Tyler did a similar project in 2020, because the pandemic stopped people from visiting their hospitalized loved ones. He called the patient response in 2020 “overwhelming” and wanted to help make the magic happen again on Christmas Day 2022.
“Anything we can do to bring joy patients and put a smile on their faces makes a huge difference,” Tyler said.
Once the cutting and binding of the cards was complete, Tyler put the word out for more volunteers to join the cause. The community answered loud and clear.
“I put a post on social media asking for people to come grab as many cards as they wanted, take them home and decorate them with their families, and bring them back to us,” Tyler explained.
“As you can see, I had no trouble finding volunteers,” he said.
“The decorating process allows people to sit down with families and spend time together. This project helps patients, but also benefits the community,” Tyler concluded. “I enjoy helping people.”
Blessing and Illini patients will not be the only people to benefit from Tyler’s skill, creativity and compassion on Christmas Day. He crafted 250 other gifts this season to fulfill holiday orders placed with Plant Creative Wood Design.
Merry Christmas to all!
"Santa Claus is anyone who loves another and seeks to make them happy; who gives himself by thought or word or deed in every gift that he bestows." Edwin Osgood Grover
