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Boreal Community Media

Video: Project Blue Light aims to honor frontline workers

Jan 22, 2021 05:20AM ● By Editor

Watch the WDIO-TV report here

Photo:  WDIO-TV

From WDIO-TV - January 21, 2021

Project Blue Light, an initiative meant to honor frontline workers efforts during the pandemic, will begin this Sunday, January 24th and last until January 31st.

Public health staff across several counties and tribal public health departments partnered on Project Blue Light which aims to visualize the community’s thanks for frontline workers through blue lights.

“Frontline workers not only include medical professionals, law enforcement, firefighters, EMTs, dispatchers and border patrol agents, but also the invisible infrastructure that may not get the same attention,” said Willi Kostiuk, emergency management coordinator in Koochiching County. “Some of these are grocery store employees, fast food and restaurant workers, food and supply distribution center workers, mail and package delivery workers, school administration and staff, sanitation, custodial, janitorial, and cleaning service workers, railroad workers, and other professions critical to the life, health and safety of residents. They deserve our recognition and appreciation.”

Project Blue Light hopes for strong public engagement and are asking people to illuminate their homes and businesses with blue lights.

"People can put a blue light bulb in their porch,” suggested Aubrie Hoover, the senior public health educator for St. Louis County. “They can string blue Christmas lights, if they still haven't packed those away, across their front yard or trees."

Project Blue Light has been in contact with several area hardware stores, such as Menards, to ensure that they have blue light bulbs stocked for those who want to participate.

Several major landmarks will also be illuminated blue according to LaReesa Sandretsky of Lake County Public Health & Human Services, such Enger Tower in Duluth and the Iron Man in Chisholm.

People can share images of their blue-lit homes and businesses using the hashtag #thankyouwithblue on social media.


To see the original story and watch related reports, follow this link to the WDIO-TV website.  https://www.wdio.com/news/project-blue-light/5985947/?cat=10335

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