Nominate a Healthcare Worker Results are in! And the first winner is…

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Not sure if you’ve heard, but 2020 has been a bit of a… wild ride. As the world went into lockdown for COVID-19 and travel restrictions went into place, we weren’t quite sure of how everything would pan out for our small business. Luckily, self-contained van travel is one of the safer methods of travel during a pandemic. However, when times are tough, we believe in coming together to support the greater good in the world.

When the world is facing a pandemic, we have a specific population to thank for the literal blood, sweat, and tears spent trying to keep our communities healthy. Healthcare workers across the world have always worked in some of the most important roles that help make this world go round, but especially during COVID-19. 

We asked ourselves: how can we pay it forward to our world and our community? How can we give back to the people working so hard to keep our communities safe during this time?

So, we turned to you. In May we offered five FREE van trips, complete with custom itineraries, and asked you to nominate a Healthcare Hero in the U.S. We wanted to learn more about these incredible humans working behind the scenes of the hospitals, day and night, who you thought most deserved a free vacation. 

The nominations came flooding in, and man, did we feel humbled. Saying it was ‘hard to choose’ feels like the understatement of the century, but alas, we picked our top 5 winners and are proud to say that our first Healthcare Hero Van-cation was a huge success!

Doctors Lauren and David Schrock are based in Michigan. Here’s a glimpse into their nomination: 

“David is the real warrior.  His clinic, Community Health and Social Services, is associated with Henry Ford hospital in Detroit.  He was first asked to lead a team that set up some of HFH’s ancillary sites (like outpatient surgical centers) to serve as inpatient hospitals for non-COVID patients.  After he got that set up,  he was asked to serve as the lead physician on an inpatient 20-bed Covid floor at Henry Ford’s main hospital. He worked 15 hour shifts treating Covid patients for about 6 weeks until their surge leveled out. 

Meanwhile, his wife Lauren, a resident physician, has been working inpatient at University of Michigan’s  hospital.  She also has been working on both Covid and non Covid floors and also with Covid patients in the ER. 

**The Community Health and Social Services (CHASS) Center, Inc.,is a community-based, not for profit organization formed to develop, promote, and provide comprehensive, accessible and affordable quality primary health care and support services to all residents of the community, with special emphasis on the underserved African-American and Latino population. CHASS is committed to the overall well-being of the community.

 

Lauren & David arrived in Whitefish, MT to take a Moterra van on a 3 night, 4 day vacation in one of our pop-top campervans through the beautiful and scenic Glacier National Park! With a custom-itinerary in hand, written by Moterra’s itinerary experts, these two healthcare heroes set off on an epic journey into the mountains. Complete with a scenic float, pre-booked campsites, and hiking trails laid out for them, Lauren and David got the chance to relax and indulge in a vacation they were both ever so deserving of.

 

 

We sat down (virtually, of course! #2020) with Lauren and David to find out about their experience. 

  1. Can you describe what your trip was like with a Moterra van as your mode of transportation and as your “home on wheels?”

We loved our time spent in the Moterra van! We did dispersed tent camping for the first two weeks of our trip, so having all of our clothes, hiking gear, and food with us while traveling through the national park was so convenient. Heading back from a hike on a 90 degree day, we were able to pull over for a swim in Lake McDonald because we had everything we needed right there with us. 

  1. What were the highlights of your trip?

We took this vacation right after Lauren finished residency and after David had a busy spring working with COVID patients—we had no idea how much we needed a break and how rejuvenating it would be to disconnect and spend time outside. We both agreed that Glacier is one of the most beautiful places we have ever been. The hikes were incredible and the views were obviously stunning, but the best part was just having a chance to spend time together.

  1. What was your experience like having a pre-planned itinerary?

We appreciated the insight and expertise that comes from working with someone who really knows the area and can make personalized recommendations. Lauren had foot surgery prior to our vacation and was still recovering during our time in Glacier, so it was helpful to have someone tailor our itinerary to accommodate that. 

  1. Any advice you would give to others taking a roadtrip in a Moterra van?

Don’t be intimidated by the size of the van! We were a little apprehensive at first, as neither of us had any experience driving something similar in the past. The van was just as easy to drive on Going-to-the-Sun road as our Grand Cherokee.

THANK YOU to all our healthcare professionals; to those on the frontlines; to those risking their own lives to save others. We are so grateful!