Businesses Treat Healthcare Worker To Personal Fitting, Salon Day

Press release from Moody Blues Jean Boutique:

July 14, 2020

Earlier this spring, when COVID-19 first started to affect area businesses, two Lincoln-Way area businesses decided to partner together to reward someone on the healthcare frontlines.

Moody Blues Jean Boutique, located at 1844 E. Lincoln Hwy., New Lenox, and Jeffrey LaMorte Salon and Day Spa, 20821 S. LaGrange Road, Frankfort, created a makeover contest through Facebook that allowed people to nominate themselves or someone else who was a healthcare worker. The winner would receive a personal denim fitting at Moody Blues Jean Boutique’s denim bar, plus a top and accessories, and one $225 gift card for services of the winner’s choice at Jeffrey LaMorte Salon and Day Spa.

“We wanted to give back and how does somebody give back when they’re not in that field?” asked Moody Blues Jean Boutique owner Kathy Wilda. “We appreciate everything that the healthcare industry was going through and how stressed they were – we just wanted to give somebody a special day so I spoke with Jeffrey LaMorte and we came up with this idea of giving someone a makeover.”

The contest was a success, with more than 250 entries. The winner, selected at random, was Lauren Fletcher of New Lenox who is a respiratory therapist at Silver Cross Hospital.

“I thought it was fake at first because I never win anything,” Fletcher said. “I read my email really early in the morning, just scrolled through and was like, ‘Oh I won.’ And then I was like, ‘Wait, I should probably revisit that email.’

“My mom, Jackie Choisser, told me she had entered me in this contest so I was super excited and thankful she did that for me.”

On July 2, Fletcher was treated to a long-awaited day of pampering, starting with full highlights, hair cut and blow dry at Jeffrey LaMorte Salon and Day Spa.

“Everybody was super nice and I’m going to go back to the girl who did my hair and have her continue to do it because I liked her so much,” Fletcher said.

After her hair was finished, Fletcher arrived at Moody Blues Jean Boutique for her personal denim fitting and shopping spree, but it was not her first time to the store.

“I actually come here quite often - my mom and I come here quite a bit,” she said.

As a respiratory therapist, Fletcher said her job has her in a variety of areas of the hospital.

“With COVID-19, we see pretty much every single COVID patient since it’s all respiratory related and I see anybody with a respiratory issue so I’ve seen a lot of them,” she said. “Unfortunately with traumas and stuff, we’re always there because if you’re not breathing, then you’ll need us.

“We also see a lot of kids with asthma, COPD patients, we do walks to determine if people will need oxygen at homet. We’re all over the hospital – we go to the ER, ICU, nursery, everywhere.”
Fletcher said she has been a respiratory therapist for the past nine years, starting at Advocate Christ Medical Center before spending the last seven years at Silver Cross.

“We’ve all been working really hard,” she said. “Working at Silver Cross is great because everybody is a family there. I think we all work well together and I have really great coworkers, nurses and doctors there so I’m happy there.”

As Fletcher finished selecting her new outfit, she said it was nice to have a day just for her.

“It’s awesome because I don’t win anything and I have two kids so if I’m not at work, I’m at home taking care of them,” she said. “I go to school as well, so I’m constantly doing stuff. “It’s nice to have a day that I get to have my hair done, get to pick out clothes because if I’m not at work, I’m usually in workout clothes or scrubs so I don’t really dress up or do anything fun.”

For Wilda, seeing the contest come to fruition is rewarding.

“It’s very nice to be able to give back to a health care worker that cares for all patients and COVID patients, now it’s her day,” Wilda said.

This press release was produced by Moody Blues Jean Boutique. The views expressed here are the author's own.