Spectrum Lakeland launches ‘We Stay Home for You’ campaign

Published 8:25 am Wednesday, April 8, 2020

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NILES — Coming together to support healthcare workers takes a different approach due to to safety precautions in place these days.

As healthcare professionals man the front lines in the fight against COVID-19, they ask everyone else to stay home and keep socially distant to slow the spread of the virus.

Healthcare workers have participated in a national campaign where they have posted photos in their full, protective gear holding signs that say “We stay here for you. Please stay home for us.” Spectrum Lakeland is launching community specific campaigns featuring the community holding signs that say “We Stay Home for You.”

The Spectrum Health Lakeland Facebook page already has photos showing its professionals at work, smiling and holding signs. The photos have been shared 80 times, and responses include encouraging messages from community members. Spectrum Health officials hope to grow those responses into a campaign of its own.

Berrien County’s Spectrum Lakeland has divided up the “We Stay Home For You” campaign into three separate dates to cheer for each city’s frontline workers. St. Joseph leads the way on Wednesday evening, while Niles follows on Thursday. Watervliet’s participation is scheduled for Friday.

“We can come together in different ways without actually being physically together,” said Jessica Springer, public relations specialist for Spectrum Health Lakeland. “Our team members definitely appreciate it, and it helps lift their spirit anytime they see something.”

The campaign encourages residents to take photos of themselves holding their own homemade signs that encourage front line healthcare workers. “We Stay Home for You” is the message of support that they want to send in response to the original campaign.

Those in St. Joseph, Niles and Watervliet who wish to participate in the video aspect of the campaign should contact Spectrum Lakeland through spectrumlakeland.org/westayhome to sign up. The video will be recorded by the Spectrum Lakeland team, who will be out in the community between 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. on each city’s designated day.

“You go to that website, give us your name and address, and during that 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. window, we will call people and let them know that we are close and have them come outside. We’ll record during that time frame,” Springer said.

The recordings will be done from a safe distance, as residents participating hold up their signs on their front porches, in their yards and through their front windows.

“It’s a really quick and easy thing,” Springer said. “We can, through social distancing, capture some footage. We are definitely looking for people.”