Jersey Shore Group Surprising Our Local Heroes in a Unique Way

Kathy Yevchak is using her business to spread appreciation, hope, and love during this difficult time.

Kathy owns Signs By The Sea and has been in business since 2011. They mainly sell wooden signs and products to golf clubs across the country. But once the pandemic hit, her business, like others, slowed down dramatically.

Kathy kept thinking that I had to do something. She saw other companies making masks, etc, but obviously working with wood, she couldn’t do that. With the inspiration of a college friend, "Hearts For Healthcare Workers" was born.

Kathy told me there are a bunch of local moms that she does a book club with and she reached out to them to ask if they would help me identify health care workers in their neighborhood of Shark River Hilles. Her friend Adele was one of the ones who sent her a few addresses of nurses in our neighborhood. Kathy said:

I have been walking my poor dog Sam like 5-6 miles a day and so I decided to hang the “A Hero Lives Here” heart on those mailboxes on my early morning walk so it would be a surprise when they saw it.

After the first morning, the Facebook posts from the recipients of the hearts started trending.

Kathy and her crew then started identifying more people that are keeping us safe. They put one on the Police Chief of Oceanport’s mailbox. He was so touched so they made hearts for everyone who works for him.  

Kathy said to me in an email:

We are just really happy to be able to express our appreciation for everyone who is really just doing their jobs, but their jobs have become the heroic ones during this pandemic.  Most of the money raised (after just covering our materials cost) will be going to Fulfill (formally The Foodbank of Monmouth and Ocean County.)

Is this something that you would like to start doing in your community? Reach out to kathy@signsbythesea.com.

Just another example of the kindness being spread at the Shore.