SALEM, Va. – Wednesday marked the eighth Food for Frontline delivery and appropriately it went to the OR staff at Lewis Gale Medical Center.
Wednesday is National Nurse Appreciation Day and they’re grateful to get food while one local business is thankful to make it.
Inside R.T. Smith’s Fine Deli, Keith Clinton carefully assembled each sandwich by hand while his wife, Karene, packaged them.
This order from the Food for Frontline initiative is going a long way for this small business.
“Getting these large orders like this, it means a lot you know. Especially to small businesses. We're just a husband and wife trying to make sure we can make the money to pay the bills whether it's home or here you know try to keep going," said Karena.
Trying to stay open while keeping up quality as well since they order many of their products straight from the Big Apple.
“The taste and the smell and the whole deal it's what you expect when you go to New York and we've been able to get that and bring that here to have that little piece,” Karena said.
A group of nurses with carts waited for the drop-off of the traditional New York deli style food.
“Every day just an out pour from the community, just gratitude to the heroes here at Lewis Gale and very thankful whether it’s folks bringing in food or writing welcome letters or standing and welcoming them at the entrances, it’s amazing,” said Lea Lee, Lewis Gale Chief Nursing Officer.
The complimentary meal is showing up at the perfect time - on a national day thanking our nurses.
“We could not do what we do without our nurses and physicians. They are the heart of our institutions, the heart of Lewis Gale in what we do every day and for our patients and community here,” Lee said.