Even in a disaster with the magnitude of the Haiti earthquake, little things can make a big difference.

That’s why a group of employees from Genesis Health System in Davenport has partnered with community members to sew “little dresses” for needy Haitian girls.

In the occupational therapy office at Genesis, seasoned seamstresses and volunteers who had never sewn united for one common goal: To create a little joy for youngsters living in a country hard-hit by natural disaster.  And now the movement has grown to include other volunteers in the hospital and beyond.

To date, at least 200 dresses have been sewn by about 30 volunteers. Just a few days ago, the dresses were delivered to orphanages in Haiti by Genesis rehab nurse Deb Stockdale, who has made an annual medical mission trip to the country for the past 10 years.

The outpouring is far more than unit secretary Laurie Peiffer ever expected when she heard about a ministry called “Little Dresses for Africa” and went to the Web site to find out more. About the same time, news of earthquake devastation in Haiti dominated the news. She recruited occupational therapist Gretchen Cluff to help her organize a similar effort at Genesis for young girls in Haiti.

“What’s better than a little girl getting a new dress?” Peiffer said. “The dresses have a very simple design and require minimal sewing. Some are made of pillow cases and others from remnants of fabric, but they’re brightly colored and personalized.”

Owners, employees and customers from local stores donated fabric, time and talent.

Peiffer remembered a special Sunday at Genesis when volunteers came together to sew.

“We started the day with 40-50 already-completed dresses,” she said. “A couple of customers from Hancock Fabrics brought in about 25. By the end of the day, we had 136 dresses completed.”

She adds, “We want to do this on an ongoing basis — maybe get a sewing group together once a month or every other month to make the dresses.”

Of course, the sewing team cares about Haitian boys, too.

“We’re taking new T-shirts for the boys, so they’ll have something new to wear as well,” says Stockdale, who also collects other donations from Genesis employees ranging from toothpaste and toothbrushes to other sundry and medical supplies.

IHA’s latest economic impact report shows Iowa’s 118 hospitals are worth more than $6.1 billion dollars to the state’s economy.  It’s unusual to think of hospitals as economic powerhouses, but there is no denying their impact.  As the information below shows, hospitals are good for Iowa’s economic health: 

• In Iowa, hospitals now employ more than 74,000 people.  In most counties where there are hospitals, the hospital (or hospitals) are among the five largest employers – and often the number-one employer.  Even in major cities with multiple large employers, hospitals dominate.  In Des Moines, hospitals employ more people than Principal and Wellmark combined.  Hospitals in Davenport provide more jobs than even the gigantic John Deere plant.  In Council Bluffs, the Ameristar Casino is the city’s biggest single employer, but the combined workforces of the two local hospitals are much bigger. 
• These are not ordinary jobs.  Most hospital jobs require a college degree and/or specialized training and offer pay that is commensurate with that advanced education.  Because they each have a large workforce, hospitals are places where careers can be grown and leaders are created (and hospitals will typically assist employees who want to further their education).  This means hospitals are important weapons against Iowa’s persistent “brain drain,” because they are employers that attract young workers and families and help keep them in the community for the long-term. 
• Hospitals are more than the people they employ and the wages they pay as their economic impact ripples out into the community.  In Iowa, this multiplier effect creates thousands of jobs worth billions of dollars.  Hospitals buy products that support local businesses.  They support local charities and community programs with dollars, manpower and expertise that few other organizations can muster.  Hospital employees are a huge market that helps keep local dollars in the local economy.  They buy groceries, cars, fuel, homes and countless other products.  They also pay taxes that keep schools open, streets maintained and police officers on watch. 

IHA believes it is important to view hospitals through the economic lens, especially for our government leaders who control much of the revenue hospitals depend upon.  As those leaders make important economic choices (between supporting more casinos, for example, or protecting the Medicaid budget), they must remember that hospitals are a wise investment. 

Shortchanging hospitals means shortchanging Iowa’s economy and threatening its chances for future growth.

Genesis Health System, the Genesis Health Services Foundation, Clinton VNA Foundation and the Scott County Public Health Department are coordinating an ambitious plan to vaccinate as many as 8,000 children in the region against seasonal influenza. 

Through the generous support of business partners, area professional sports teams, charity groups and individuals, nearly $210,000 has been raised to pay for the vaccine for Flu-Free Quad Cities. 

This is the third year for the rapidly expanding program. Last year, more than 3,000 school children in Davenport, Clinton, Moline and East Moline took advantage of free flu protection. 

The program will be expanded to as many children as possible in 79 schools this fall.  The vaccinations will again be provided free to children who voluntarily participate in Flu-Free Quad Cities.  Parents need only to return a consent form.