Photo caption: Sarah Futrell, who works at Trinity Grove in Wilmington, gets her COVID-19 vaccine.
When Bonnie Skobel, administrator at Trinity Grove, rolled up her sleeve to get her first COVID-19 vaccine at the end of 2020, she was thinking about making history.
“I’ll be able to tell my grandchildren that I was in one of the very first groups to receive the vaccine, and that is when it really started getting better,” Skobel said.
LSC frontline heroes and residents began getting their first round of vaccines during the last week of December. LSC partnered with Walgreens and CVS to hold three clinics in each of our communities. Teammates were encouraged but not required to take the shot; those who did said they were doing it for their families, communities, residents, and to create hope for the future.
Prior to the clinics, LSC started a campaign with the hashtag #StickWithUs and held several organization-wide meetings with healthcare experts who shared information on how the vaccine was created and assured teammates of its safety.
Two of our Trinity Elms assisted living teammates were featured in a video created by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services with other long-term healthcare workers. In the video, Supervisor in Training Brittani Green and Human Resources Specialist Lynda Hobson shared their reasons for taking the vaccine.
“We need to save some lives, and these elderly people cannot afford to be sick,” Hobson said during her interview.
LSC President and CEO Ted Goins got his vaccine at Trinity Oaks health and rehab after ensuring there were enough doses for all the frontline workers who wanted one. In a letter to all teammates in the organization that Goins wrote before getting his vaccine, he said he was getting it to protect the organization’s residents and clients, as well as to protect his 90-year-old mother and 89-year-old father.
“I trust our nation’s scientists, and I know widespread vaccination is the only way out of this pandemic,” Goins said.
When asked what getting the COVID-19 vaccine meant to them, many LSC teammates shared feelings of excitement and hope for the future. Some of the comments are below:
“I decided to take the vaccine for my grandparents, not only the ones at home but also the ones at work. The neighbors at this community are family. They have not been able to hug their families since March 2020. I took the vaccine for them.”- Megan Herman, BSW, Social Worker at Trinity Village
“I chose to get the vaccine because I want to do my part to stem the tide of this horrible virus and the devastation it has caused all year long. I really want our neighbors to feel safe again while they are here. I also want to be able to hold my grandson again. I want to be able to see my elderly parents sometime this year. – Keith Martin, Director Dining Services at Trinity Village
“Not being able to touch or hug the neighbors has been hard for me! I miss the social interaction with them. So I take the vaccine in honor of our neighbors and in memory of the neighbors we have lost to COVID.” – Debbie Warlick, ALF Activities at Trinity Village
“We anticipate the vaccine will pave the way toward the return to normal life for our residents. We are excited about the prospect of expanded visitation and resumption of some normal activities as we move into 2021.” – Sharon Adams, Director of Nursing at Trinity Grove
“At first, I was skeptical of receiving the COVID-19 vaccine and made the statement, ‘I am not taking it.’ I began to reconsider after prayer and taking a moment to put myself in our residents’ current circumstances. They are unable to visit with their families, they are isolated, they are lonely, and they are experiencing sadness. I took the vaccine for our residents, in hopes that one day they will be able to feel the joy they once felt and be able to be reunited with their loved ones.” – Ashley Morrow, RN at Trinity Village
“I have a strong faith, believe in medical science, and want to make a difference that may save lives. I want back the things that mean so much to me: smiles, handshakes and hugs!” –Terry Pearson, Unit Secretary at Trinity Village
“I have taken the vaccine not because I am afraid of this pandemic. I know that God is in control and He already knows our days. I took the vaccine because as Christians we are to be responsible and be prepared for what comes our way. I am putting on another armor of protection.” – Debbie Moritz, Activity Assistant at Trinity Village
“I chose to be vaccinated because I am a nurse and have been for over 20 years. I believe in the science of it. But more importantly I have seen what this virus has done to our country, our communities, our families, and our friends. It has changed everything. I have seen my coworkers suffer, I have seen my residents suffer and some even perish from it. If I, just me, can do one small thing to help prevent anyone else from suffering, then I’m in 100 percent. It’s the right thing to do.” – Amanda Handy, Director of Nursing at Trinity Village
