Written by Jack Taylor
No one is doing more for our community right now than first responders and health care workers. Unfortunately, social distancing can make it difficult for us to show our appreciation and support to these superheroes. This was an obstacle Bellingham resident and realtor Faith Ulate sought to fix.
On April 10, Ulate created the Facebook page “Encouragement for Health Care Workers & First Responders” as a way for Whatcom County residents to send a virtual thank you to those risking their lives during the pandemic.
Stemming from a separate idea Ulate had with her friend Angie Gibbs to create a page that supported local businesses offering take-out, the purpose of this page is to show support to health care workers.
“It’s meant a lot to [healthcare workers] knowing that we care and that we see them,” Ulate says.
The Facebook page is full of thank-yous ranging from personal videos to posts of artwork, posters, and people making masks for healthcare workers.
“I’m just hoping it brings encouragement to all the people who are risking their lives on a daily basis and seeing [that] we stand behind them,” Ulate says.
With nearly 400 members, Ulate hopes the page continues to grow into a legacy document.
“I would love for people to keep posting, adding and participating in any way they can,” Ulate says. “I’d love to fill it up as big as possible and it could be a legacy during this difficult time of our lockdown, that the Whatcom County residents have really come together and have uplifted these people that need it.”