Blog homeOn November 8, volunteers from CHG headed to the George E. Wahlen Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Salt Lake City to visit with current service members, veterans and their families and to drop off cards and wheelchairs CHG employees assembled.
CHG leaders first got the ball rolling back in October by assembling 10 wheelchairs as a part of Leadership Summit, a biannual conference for leaders throughout the company.
"We like to include a philanthropic team-building activity with these kinds of events," says Julie Sibthorp, corporate meeting planner at CHG in Salt Lake City. "This year, we wanted to give back to our armed service veterans as well as the healthcare industry in some way."
Employees and their family members then used art supplies provided by the company to create cards to accompany the wheelchairs. Employees will also make holiday cards to send to service men and women overseas.
"This is CHG's fourth year making cards for veterans," Julie says. "This year, we even had an employee take art supplies to her daughter's fifth grade class so that the kids could participate as well."
In the end, the drop-off event was a success. Twenty-one CHG employees visited the VA Hospital and, according to Marla Linder, customer relations specialist on the accounts receivable team at CHG, they had a wonderful time.
"My father was a veteran and was in the Navy during the Battle of Okinawa," Marla says. "Although he is no longer with us, it was great to be a part of giving back to those who served. I got a little misty at times, but it was truly a wonderful experience and I met some very interesting and wonderful people and hope to go visit again soon."
