HONESDALE, PA - It takes a village! The Greater Honesdale Partnership and Honesdale Borough Council pulled together to see that the popular star on Honesdale’s Irving Cliff stay lit an additional 7 weeks to bring a little joy and recognition to local healthcare workers and to honor the lives in our community lost to COVID-19.

When it came to the attention of Lisa Burns, Executive Director of the Greater Honesdale Partnership, that local healthcare workers at Wayne Memorial Health System were in need of a little morale boosting, she immediately went to the Honesdale Borough Council. At the first meeting of 2022, Burns requested the Council keep the “Winter Wonderland” star lit beyond its usual date, January 15, to honor both healthcare workers and those who have lost their lives to COVID-19.

“We have all become tired of COVID,” said Burns, “but the fact is it’s still very much with us and our healthcare workers have never left their posts. We want them to know we have not forgotten how hard they work caring for our friends and families, nor have we forgotten the families who lost loved ones.”

Wayne Memorial spokesperson Lisa Champeau, Public Relations manager, agreed that her co-workers at the hospital, particularly the front-liners in the Emergency Department, ICU and COVID unit would be pleased to hear about the star. “When I told our new head of Patient Care Services, she said ‘fantastic, thank you!’”

For her part, Burns said, “It was with great pleasure that I was able to make the request of the Honesdale Borough Council. GHP represents its members in many ways, but when something like this is brought forth, it was an easy yes,” stated Lisa Burns.

Borough Council voted unanimously to keep the star lit until March 1.

“Our community is very special with many connected and shared networks which lead to all of us working together for a common goal,” said Burns. “Thank you to all the health care workers for all you do. When you look at the Star on Irving Cliff, we hope it does boost your morale—you deserve it.”