Mount Nittany Invites Community to Thank Health Care Workers for Efforts During Pandemic

Community members have an opportunity over the next week to express their gratitude to health care workers at Mount Nittany Health for their efforts throughout the past two years of the COVID-19 pandemic.

An upcoming event for employees of the health system will display hundreds of luminaries bearing messages of hope, thanks and remembrance from staff and the community.

Luminary bags are available to community members through April 15 at Centre Foundation, Downtown Bellefonte Inc., Philipsburg Revitalization Corporation and State College Downtown Improvement District. Residents can write messages on the bags while there and return them to front desk staff at each location.

“After two years, it’s important for us to take a collective deep breath and recognize, remember, and thank our frontline healthcare workers and all of our employees affected by COVID-19,” said Kathleen Rhine, President and CEO, Mount Nittany Health. “Although the event is for health system staff, we welcome community members to participate by writing a message on one of the hundreds of luminaries that will be lit during the event.”

The event for employees will be held at sundown at the medical center’s Healing Garden at a time that will allow many healthcare workers to walk through the luminary installation and observe it from the windows above. It also will include music, shared stories from the pandemic and remarks from Mount Nittany Health leadership.