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'What Happened To All The Gratitude?' Couple Donates 322 Gift Cards To Local Hospital

October 14, 2021

A couple in Nelson, B.C., bought hundreds of gift cards and donated them to their local hospital.

Kootenay Lake Hospital in Nelson

Jennifer and Ron Taylor have a deep appreciation for Nelson, a city they've called home for nearly two decades. But lately, the couple has been troubled by life in Nelson.

It didn't make sense to see how nurses and doctors had gone from being celebrated in the early days of B.C.'s lockdown to being vilified in 2021.

"What happened to the pots and pans?" Jennifer told the Nelson Star. "What happened to the drive-by with cheers out the window? What happened to all the heart emojis on all the windows and every door of homes, of businesses? What happened to all that gratitude?"

On Sept. 16, the couple delivered a box to Kootenay Lake Hospital. Inside were $50 gift cards to various restaurants around the city. The couple purchased 322, one for every person who works at the hospital.

The total donation cost over $16,000.

They decided it was important to offer a meal to everyone at the hospital. That ruled out anything cheaper than $50. The couple said the donation also doubled as support for local restaurants that have struggled during the pandemic.

Jennifer and Ron have since received over 60 letters from hospital employees.

One letter read: "To the wonderful donors who gave all the staff at KLH a gift certificate to the restaurants in Nelson. There was a wonderful buzz around the hospital, especially to those who often don't get recognized during these times. It is a continual struggle for all staff to deal with COVID, but most staff just continue to forge ahead with no complaints. We are grateful for your kindness."

Jennifer and Ron say this has meant everything to them. Jennifer stresses the gift cards were secondary to the letter they wrote to staff.

"I just want people in this community to understand it doesn't have to be the size of the gesture," says Jennifer. "It is what your words say, what you show in terms of your gratitude."