'Thank you' signs line Marietta street near hospital

Thank you for medical workers

Residents of Marietta are thanking health care workers

MARIETTA, Ga. - There's one primary exit out of Kennestone Hospital in Marietta: Church Street. A family off of the route knew they wanted to do something to thank healthcare employees for working on the frontline of this pandemic just a short walk from their home. So, they loaded up on art supplies to make thank-you signs to line their way home.

"We all feel fantastic when someone says thank you, a round of applause, anything and they need it more than anybody right now," said Kelly Raabe.

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Kelly ordered extra supplies to pass out to neighborhood kids. Many other people put signs on other side roads from the hospital, Kelly says she'd like to see them down every road around Marietta.

"We now really know that it means something to those people coming home to see that after a long day when you feel like you're just kind of spent hopefully that lifts their spirits to make them encouraged and happy to come back the next day," says Raabe.

But what do the signs say?

"Some of them are just like 'thank you healthcare workers' others are inspirational messages just encouraging them to have hope," said Kelly's oldest son Jack Raabe.

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The signs were out about a week before Wednesday night's rain. Kelly says they went to the road to check on their work and most of the posters were ruined. After a quick trip to the store and another online order, the neighborhood kids were back at it Thursday morning to replace the damaged messages of hope. As they put up the new signs, people honked and slowed down to read and take pictures.

"A manager for some region in the hospital come by take a picture and thank us and it was really special just to see the reaction," said Betsy Raabe, Kelly's daughter.

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The family says they have plenty of extra if anyone would like to write their own message. And they encourage everyone to thank their healthcare workers.

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