BERLIN – A local pipe and drum band paid tribute to caregivers at Atlantic General Hospital this week in honor of National Nurses Week.
On Monday, members of Ocean City Pipes and Drums gathered in the parking lot of Atlantic General Hospital to recognize its caregivers as the facility kicks off National Nurses Week.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the hospital has had to cancel many of the activities it had planned for the facility’s nursing staff, Marking Director Sarah Yonker said. However, one of its alternative celebratory events kicked off on Monday with a pipe and drum tribute, led by retired Worcester County Public Schools superintendent Jon Andes.
“We are honoring the health care workers at Atlantic General Hospital because this week happens to be National Nurses Week …,” Andes said. “So this is our contribution to say thank you to those first-line health care workers who are doing a phenomenal job for our country.”
Monday’s tribute attracted an audience of senior leadership staff and nurses, some of whom watched from the windows inside the hospital. Andes said the performance was a small token of appreciation to those on the front lines of the pandemic.
“It’s our way of trying to give back to our community by recognizing their contributions,” he said, “but most importantly saying thank you to them in our small way of playing the pipes.”
The hospital also celebrated Healthcare Heroes Day on May 2 by illuminating the Atlantic General campus with blue lighting from 7 p.m. last Saturday to 7 a.m. last Sunday.