Lititz Fire & Ice offers heartwarming chance to connect with community
Volunteering for a stint as the Nittany Lion at last week’s Lititz Fire & Ice festival, Kathy Kurtz figured she might be a little chilly, but she certainly didn’t count on comments that would melt her heart.
Kurtz, a credentialing specialist for Penn State Health Medical Group ― Lancaster, said she wasn’t there very long when several families came over to thank the Lion for visiting their children while in Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.
“I got a hug from one of the children who survived cancer,” Kurtz said. “They couldn’t see how they touched my heart.”
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A team of Penn State Health Medical Group employees from the Cornerstone, Kissel Hill and Lime Spring practices met and mingled with 40,000 of their closest friends and neighbors throughout the two-day event that featured live ice sculpting, pyrotechnics, a chili cookoff, indoor carnival and vendor fair.
“The care we all work together to provide every day is to help individuals in our communities who have unique stories,” said Andrea Becker, director of client and brand strategy, marketing and communications at Penn State Health. “Attending community events is essential in connecting one-on-one with our friends and neighbors to hear their stories.”
The event also showcased Penn State Health’s stone-cold strength as a provider of health care via the very popular selfie ice sculptures in downtown Lititz, where visitors could take a selfie and post it on social media, Becker said.
Kurtz said she was thankful for the opportunity to represent Penn State Health. “One of the instructions I was given was to leave everyone I met with a good feeling,” she said. “What I didn’t know was how good it would leave me feeling.”
Want to help out at a future event like this? Email ThisIsPennStateHealth@pennstatehealth.org for more information about being a brand ambassador.
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