The halls of Roy Lester Schneider Hospital were decked with Christmas ornaments and resounding with joy on Wednesday afternoon when Santa made a surprise appearance to thank and acknowledge the hospital staff for their hard work and caring service to the community every day of the year.
It was noted that the decorations that appeared everywhere throughout the hospital were sponsored by the staff, who used their time off to place them in nearly every office, hallway, nook and cranny of the 169-bed independent hospital.
Hospital CEO Tina Comissiong didn’t even try to conceal her delight with the celebration of both the holiday season and the staff she has led for nearly two years.
Hurricanes and pandemics certainly played a part in keeping the bearded man at bay for all these years, but, wearing what he called his North Pole “chic” outfit, Santa seemed equally as happy as the staff and the patients that he visited.
At the foot of a bed, Santa was heard to quietly say, “I hope you are home for Christmas.”
Every floor, every staff member that could be found on Santa’s trip to Roy Lester Schneider Hospital beamed with genuine rejoicing as they took a moment to experience what the season is all about – giving – which is what these folks do day after day, year after year. For just a moment, they were on the receiving end.
It must be something about the magic of Christmas that prevented anyone from noticing the striking resemblance between the chic Santa Claus and the equally white-bearded chairman of the joint hospital board of the Virgin Islands. Hmmm.
