Litchfield Chapter of FBLA News & Updates
As part of Go Green project, the Litchfield chapter of FBLA has been collecting used books, toys, and games. On
Friday, we went to Kearney to deliver the books to Good Samaritan Hospital and the toys/games to Crossroads
Center.
When we arrived at the hospital, we met with Foundation Director Randy DeFreece, Birthing Center/Pediatrics Director
Karen Navis, and Volunteer Manager Lindsy Zechmann. They explained that the books would be placed strategically
throughout the hospital to be accessible to children who needed a distraction and so that hospital workers who thought
someone could benefit from them could find them quickly. Mr. DeFreece sorted through the books and picked out
some to be delivered to the pediatrics gathering area, then began our tour of the hospital.
First, we visited the pediatric ward; it is an eight-bed department and, during our visit, all the rooms were occupied
except one. Our donated books were dropped off in the gathering area, and we were then shown a room. The room
was obviously decorated with children in mind, with clouds on the lights and fun borders on the walls.
Next, we went up to see if the helicopter was on the roof. It wasn’t, but we still got to see a map on the wall that shows
everywhere the helicopter has been. There were pins scattered from coast to coast. The reason for this comes down
to care for the patients- if Good Samaritan can't provide the specialized care that a patient needs, they will transport
them to a hospital that does. We were also told that just a few years ago, the hospital upgraded to a better and faster
helicopter. The hospital had had the previous helicopter for over eight years.
In passing, we were shown the transitional care unit (which is a step down from the intensive care unit), the doctor’s
lounge, and the rooms that family members can rent out.
We then saw the hospital’s chapel. It has just recently undergone a huge renovation, including new carpet and new
stained glass windows. We were told that Mass is held two times a week and that there have been baptisms and
weddings in the chapel. The crucifix on the front wall is from Italy and was donated by volunteer services.
There are over 300 volunteers at Good Samaritan Hospital. They do everything from running the gift shop to
crocheting hats and blankets. Every baby born at the hospital gets a crocheted hat. Also, on Christmas Eve, patients
are given blankets that are made by the volunteers.
Our tour continued past the nursery. We stepped into a birthing room and our guides explained the fetal heart monitor
and how it worked. Although all the babies were with their mothers, we got the see paper shamrocks with babies’
names on them hung above the nursery window. These were the babies that had been born in this month so far.
There are over 1,000 babies born at the hospital each year. Women and their babies come from as far north as
Valentine and far south as Kansas to receive care at Good Samaritan Hospital. We also passed by the neonatal
intensive care unit, which is unique in its abilities to handle premature infants as early as 28 weeks.
Next, we admired the artwork in the Walkway Gallery. In this hallway, there are paintings and photographs from
Nebraska artists displayed. After artists have their work displayed, they donate a piece to the hospital. The gallery
features a new artist each month, and all their work is for sale; this allows the artist to gain recognition while the
hospital gains new artwork.
We were then shown the History of the Hospital Wall. There are pictures and explanations of all the improvements that
have been made since 1919. It was a very interesting and intriguing work chronicle of the history of the hospital.
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