The thank-you notes were decked on the windshields with care as a way for Carly Miller to show her appreciation there.
The young St. Albert woman delivered 189 handwritten cards of appreciation to vehicles in the staff parking lots at the Sturgeon Hospital last Wednesday with a few volunteer card contributors to cap off her Windshield Wishes project here in the city. She just wanted to make sure all of the healthcare professionals and all other facility workers felt the support of the community behind them.
“I’m wanting to bring a lot of joy in their lives and make a difference,” she exclaimed, saying the work of health care never rests and many workers have long shifts made even longer because of the stress and toll of the pandemic.
“I wanted to say thank you so much.”
After finishing their long shifts and returning to their vehicles, many note recipients then took to social media to express their gratitude back.
Miller’s mother Renee said it took her daughter about two days to write in approximately 80 cards, while the other crew members completed the rest. They didn’t have enough cards to offer to all of the staff vehicles but the warm sentiment of appreciation was meant for everyone. She said her daughter was inspired by a similar recent project that offered cards to seniors experiencing isolation while living in local residences. Carly participated in that as well.
“I really want to make a difference. I really want to give back to my community. I’m a strong and true Alberta girl ... always will be. I’m bringing love and joy to other people. I want to make their day because that’s who I am,” she continued, offering a grand wish to all members of the public.
“As a community and as Albertans, we have to stick together. It's a very hard, dramatic time right now, and I really strongly believe we have to get this together and be grateful and be kind, be joyous and be absolutely happy, and say thank you. Be humbled. Be strongly humbled. Find light and bring light to others. Have a compliment and we’ll get through this as one for Canadians and the whole world. We're gonna get through this.”
Windshield Wishes might grow as a movement, too. Miller added that she has a family friend in Okotoks who works in a school, and when the kids can come back to class, she said, she might just have a card-writing project for them.
