Mayra Lerna with bagels at Ruby K’s Friday morning prior to delivery to frontline healthcare workers at Los Alamos Medical Center. Photo by John McHale/ladailypost.com

Ruby K’s employees help Camille Wescott of First United Methodist Church take the bagels to a waiting vehicle Friday morning for transport to LAMC. Photo by John McHale/ladailypost.com

The bagels arrive Friday morning at Los Alamos Medical Center for distribution to every healthcare worker to thank them for their service. Photo by John McHale/ladailypost.com

First United Methodist Church of Los Alamos News:

During the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare workers have frequently been in the news. First, there was the stress of working without appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). Then, the ongoing anxiety of coming down with COVID and spreading it to others. 

As the pandemic wears on, many fight burnout from covering for other healthcare workers who do have COVID, keeping up with the latest recommendations, and the lack of contact with others.

First United Methodist Church of Los Alamos decided to extend a small thank you to all of the healthcare workers at Los Alamos Medical Center. The church’s motto is God’s Love in Action. 

“We wanted to give the people on the frontlines of the pandemic a tangible way of knowing we are thinking about them and praying for them,” said Camille Wescott, who organized the project. “It is tempting to think that they are under less stress now that vaccines are available, but they continue to need our support. This is a small token of our great appreciation for their faithful service.”

Wescott said, “Ruby Alexander at Ruby K’s helped a great deal to make this happen. To meet hospital COVID guidelines, each healthcare worker at LAMC received an individually packaged bagel and cream cheese from Los Alamos First United Methodist Church and Ruby K’s. 

LAMC Human Resources Director Jacqui Carroll and the Human Resources team handed out the bagels Friday to the healthcare worker on every shift. 

“We know it will be greatly appreciated,” Carroll said.

Each package has a thank you message for the frontline workers. Photo by John McHale/ladailypost.com