Staff working holiday shifts graced with presents

Like a UCHealth Santa Claus, Mary Seitenbach brings holiday cheer to thousands of colleagues with gifts and treats.

Seitenbach, stroke coordinator for UCHealth’s Southern Colorado Region, led the assembly of 2,684 gift bags for employees working Dec. 24 and Dec. 25 at UCHealth Memorial Hospital Central, Memorial Hospital North, Grandview Hospital and Pikes Peak Regional Hospital.

Staff got bright red, reusable tote bags filled with UCHealth-emblazoned water bottles, lunch buddies and instant cold packs along with something a little more personal such as a box of candy or a bottle of lilac-scented hand sanitizer.

“Everyone has different skills,” said Seitenbach, a nurse for more than 40 years. “This time, mine were organizational.”

As COVID-19 cases surged, Seitenbach volunteered to help with PPE distribution and got to know Mike Littlefield of Memorial’s supply chain management. When Littlefield shared an incident command-approved idea of gift bags for staff working the holidays, he knew who to ask for help.

“She didn’t hesitate, even for a moment,” Littlefield said. “She was awesome. Without her, I doubt this would have happened.”

With leadership’s approval, Seitenbach raided her own department’s supplies of UCHealth swag, items she normally gives away at health fairs or other education events. Once inventoried, those items were supplemented by donations secured by Littlefield from local businesses. Faced with box after box of supplies, Seitenbach used the receiving dock at the Memorial Administrative Center to create an assembly line. Each bag got the same UCHealth items and one premium item like candy. Santa – and Seitenbach – know to keep things even.

Like Santa, Seitenbach had other elves who helped. Elena McCartney, Alan Breidt, Drew Bettlach, James Harris and Wesley Jacob joined her. They spent more than nine hours building the bags.

Other elves got the bags from the MAC to the hospitals. Once at the hospitals, more elves loaded carts – which bore a slight resemblance to sleighs – so the presents could be delivered to UCHealth employees by hospital leaders. Twice on Dec. 24 and again on Dec. 25, leaders made rounds to deliver presents and words of appreciation and encouragement to staff working the holidays.

“It took a village to make this happen,” said Joe Foecking, director of rehabilitative services, who helped deliver the presents. “I’m appreciative of everyone who contributed to making working a holiday brighter.”