WAUKEGAN — A sea of red flowed into the lobby of Vista Medical Center East on Friday afternoon.
Dozens of employees wearing red shirts flooded the lobby just after lunch and soon scattered about as quickly as they arrived. The brief get-together included shooting a group photo to celebrate an unprecedented fund-raiser by hospital staff. Over the past year, Vista staff donated more than $55,000 to charity through the hospital’s Combined Appeal Campaign. The donations included $17,000 to the American Heart Association. Their involvement with the Heart Association prompted wearing red, said Abby Kenton, a spokeswoman for the hospital. The Heart Association encourages employers to host a Wear Red Day as part of its awareness campaign. Vista employees were also allowed to wear jeans, a privilege usually reserved for charity days in exchange for a donation of $5. “(The event) helps with morale. And it shows how we support our community and support our patients,” said Deanna Stich, the hospital’s director of volunteering and senior circle.
Vista’s Combined Appeal Campaign raised a record amount of money this year, Stich said. The previous record, set last year, was $52,000.