Shodair supporters help make Christmas a success
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During the holiday, all of us at Shodair were amazed and thankful for the support and donations we received from the community to make the holidays special for patients in our care. As a father I know how magical this time of year is to children, and the amazing team at Shodair works hard to create a comparable level of joy during the holiday season despite the challenges and treatments our patients are undergoing. Each year, it’s because of these generous donors that we can achieve that goal and make the holidays memorable, and we couldn’t thank you enough.
Like the rest of the world, we have had many hurdles to overcome due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many of those challenges remain, yet our patients continue to get the best care possible because of the greater Shodair family. Keeping the Christmas spark lit isn’t easy in an acute and residential psychiatric hospital, yet year after year, our patients are blessed by others far beyond our walls in Helena.
We continue to take extra precaution to control the potential exposure to patients and their families, which meant that many kids had to spend the holiday away from the comfort of home and familiar loved ones. Although I knew it would be a challenge for families and patients during the holidays, I had full confidence that our staff at Shodair would go above and beyond to support patient needs and create meaningful memories. And that is exactly what happened.
We hosted safe holiday activities such as movie nights, cookie decorating, sledding in the snow, and even a VIP visit from Santa himself. Children got PJs and hot cocoa on Christmas eve and parents were invited to enjoy a delicious Christmas dinner with their child at the hospital. I am always inspired with the staff’s ability to put the kids’ needs first, often before their own family. Although their job is difficult and demanding, they put their whole heart into their work, and it makes all the difference.
Finally, the amazing generosity of others brought gifts to every single patient, and we could not have made the holiday so magical without the support of the community. Past patients, state agencies, volunteers, students, local businesses, and community members made contributions and offered their time to serve the patients at Shodair. We received, gifts from Toys for Tots, and an additional $3,000 for patient gifts that were handpicked by our staff. PetSmart also made the season merry by giving each patient an animal toy.
As we get ready for this Hallmark holiday of love on Feb. 14, I want to express my love for all Shodair’s family and friends across Montana. Feeling loved by another is one of the greatest gifts we can give any person – especially a child. And, I can say without a single doubt that everyone at Shodair felt loved by others. On behalf of the board of directors, the staff, our partners, patients, and their families, thank you from the bottom of our hearts for blessing our organization. We are so grateful to be part of such a close knit, statewide, and loving community.
