Lighting the Night for first responder and healthcare community

On April 29, 2020 Lance Allen, a Fauquier County resident, sponsored a Light the Night event with the support of Chick-fil-A in Warrenton at Fauquier Hospital. The idea to host a Light the Night event came to fruition when Lance Allen and Sarah Cubbage, Marketing Coordinator with Fauquier Health, connected to brainstorm. Rather than just delivering delicious boxed Chick-fil-A meals to the hospital staff, Lance Allen decided it was important to take this one step further. “The first responder and healthcare communities serve on our behalf every day,” said Lance. He went on to comment, “Sometimes we forget they are a part our community because they are just doing their jobs. Our brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, moms and dads – the list goes on. They deserve our thanks and I’m just happy that in some small way we could show them that with Light the Night.” At that moment, a simple food donation idea turned into a drive-through event so the public could show support to the first responder and healthcare communities.

Photos courtesy of Fauquier Health.

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted every community. Light the Night was designed to give the families of Fauquier County a safe avenue to show community support to one another, while ensuring safe social distancing from their vehicles. Chad Melton, Chief Executive Officer of Fauquier Health, was among the healthcare workers standing outside waving back. When asked to comment on the event, he shared, “Light the Night was an amazing event to recognize our clinical and non-clinical heroes for the sacrifices, and work they do every day. The outpouring of support Fauquier Health has received over the past two months, is hard to describe. You see the support health systems are getting on the web and through social media, but to see the support firsthand, was heart felt and appreciated. I describe Light the Night as a fiery half-time football speech! The event was our halftime speech to stay motivated, energized, focused on the goal of caring for our community, and keep the fight alive against the virus.”

The festivities began at about 7:00pm Wednesday evening. Lance Allen, Paul Brock, owner of Chick-fil-A Warrenton, and Chad Melton, CEO, worked collaboratively to deliver 60 chicken sandwiches to the night shift staff at Fauquier Health and hand out 40 chicken sandwiches to the first responders parked in the parking lots. At about 7:30pm there were a line of cars already waiting to drive through and give thanks. “We were happy with the thought that 20 or so cars might join us,” said Lance. It turned out to be so much more than that. Hospital hill was transformed into a scene of flashing lights from the joining police cars, firetrucks and ambulances. Over 100 vehicles drove through Light the Night sharing honks, waves and words of encouragement for the healthcare workers, police and Fire & EMS. Community members drove their cars, motorcycles and work vehicles through the designated areas and ended their route of travel by exiting under the American Flag which was displayed in between Warrenton and Remington ladder trucks.

According to Katy Reeves, Administrator of the Fauquier Health Rehabilitation & Nursing Center, “The event last night was awesome! My staff were so emotionally touched by the outpouring of support by the community – the parade of cars went on and on.”

In closing, Lance commented, “Everyone took the time and effort to say thank you to each other – together. And that’s the only way we will get through this – by doing it together!”

The planning process involved many moving parts to make this event happen. Fauquier Health wants to give a special thanks to Paul Brock and Chick-fil-A Warrenton for the meals, Piedmont Press & Graphics for the Light the Night signage and WPER radio (FM Station 89.9) for dedicating a live on air playlist for the event. Also, a special thanks to Delegate Michael J. Webert, State Senator Jill Vogel, Eric Maybach, Commissioner of the Revenue, and Heather Grimsley Sutphin, Board Member at Fauquier Historical Society, for working with Lance Allen to provide the staff and first responders with 100 meals. Additionally, Fauquier Health would like to express gratitude to Chief Darren Stevens and the Fauquier County Department of Fire, Rescue and Emergency Management, the Warrenton Volunteer Fire Company, Remington Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department, Bob Mosier and the Fauquier County Sheriff’s Office, and Renard Carlos and Anne Hall, Fauquier Health Board Members, a for coming out to show their instrumental support!

About Fauquier Health

Fauquier Health is a community health system dedicated to high-quality, patient-centered care in a unique environment that considers the multiple facets of healing and respects the individuality of each and every patient. Located at 500 Hospital Drive in Warrenton, Virginia, Fauquier Health serves the residents of Fauquier and several surrounding counties. It comprises: Fauquier Hospital, a fully-accredited, 97-bed hospital; Fauquier Health Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, a 113-bed long-term care and rehabilitation facility; the Villa at Suffield Meadows, an assisted living facility; the Wound Health Center and a medically supervised Wellness Center offering health and wellness programs.  Fauquier Health also operates nine physician’s offices, including primary care and specialties. More information on Fauquier Health is available online at FauquierHealth.org or by calling 540-316-5000.