When team members in Soin Medical Center’s perioperative department learned that the sons of four Kettering Health employees were serving overseas, they wanted to show their support.
What started as a simple idea quickly grew into a department-wide effort. Staff members donated supplies, snacks and money for shipping, helping send seven care packages to Marine Corps Sgt. Deric Ealey and Airman First Class Nathan Weidner. Their parents all work for Kettering Health.
Deric Ealey, who is deployed in the Middle East, is the son of Tabatha Ealey, a nurse in Soin’s pre- and post-op department, and Jason Ealey, a telecommunications engineer with Kettering Health. Nathan Weidner, who serves in the U.S. Air Force, is the son of PACU nurse Bill Weidner and Amanda Weidner, an RN in the catheterization lab at Kettering Health.
The effort began after Tabatha Ealey received an address where care packages could be sent overseas. Word quickly spread throughout the perioperative department, and employees from pre- and post-op, PACU and the Soin anesthesia team began collecting donations.
“The response was incredible,” Rachel Renner, a PACU nurse and co-chair of the Unit Practice Council, said. “There was never any hesitation. It was like immediately, absolutely, we will participate.”
The service members shared lists of requested items, giving coworkers a better idea of what would be most helpful.
“They had actually sent a list of the kind of things that they wanted, needed, and then just a few things that, like, ‘Hey, I’m missing this from home,'” Renner said.
Donations included laundry detergent sheets, electrolyte packets, socks, deodorant, toothpaste and toothbrushes. Staff members also collected snacks, ramen, beef jerky, card games and other comforts from home. Children of department employees contributed drawings and notes of encouragement to include in the packages.
Many employees donated supplies, while others contributed money to help cover shipping costs. Members of the anesthesia team, many of whom previously served in the military, were especially eager to contribute.
“Even when I reached out to our anesthesia team, I told them no pressure, just wanted to put it out there,” Renner said. “They said absolutely. It actually meant a lot, because several of them are ex-military.”
The generosity of the department ultimately resulted in seven boxes packed with supplies and encouragement for the two service members and those serving alongside them. The project also gave team members an opportunity to support coworkers whose families are navigating the challenges of military deployment.
In many ways, the effort reflected Kettering Health’s mission to live God’s love by promoting and restoring health. Through a simple act of service, employees found a meaningful way to care for one another beyond their day-to-day work.
The packages were mailed in early July and are expected to take several weeks to reach their destinations. Once they arrive, the team hopes to receive photos and updates.
The success of the project has also sparked conversations about what similar efforts could look like across the organization. With more than 15,000 employees across Kettering Health, team members believe there may be other military families who could benefit from the same kind of encouragement and support.
“Maybe it’ll spark other units to do the same thing too,” Brooke Lawson, a nurse in pre- and post-op, said.
For Renner, the effort resonated because it was deeply personal.
“I think it meant a lot more just because it was our coworkers’ kids,” she said. “It was people we knew specifically, and you just felt like you were kind of supporting your coworker at the same time.”
