“We missed lunch and everything!”

Richmond Hospital staff spent their collective lunch hour Friday, waiting to meet multiple Juno Award winner Johnny Reid, who was in town to perform at Richmond Hospital Foundation’s 16th annual  Starlight Gala.

The country crooner stopped by Richmond Hospital to see first-hand the high quality care that patients and clients receive here as well as tour the Birth Centre and future home of the Pediatric Short Stay Unit.

Reid also spent 90-minutes doling out hugs and handshakes, posing for photos and signing CD covers — lots of CD covers – to VCH Richmond staff who were excited to meet him.

Kristen Furch (left) brought her mom, Barbara (right), to meet country and western singer/songwriter Johnny Reid at Richmond Hospital last Friday.

With CD in hand, and several more tucked into her purse, Barbara Furch was thrilled to meet Reid in person. “She was shaking the whole time,” said Furch’s daughter, Kristen, an Administrative Assistant at Richmond Hospital, who brought her mom to the meet-and-greet. “She’s still talking about it.”

Others were equally as excited.

“I was first in line,” said Sheila Prostler from Richmond Hospital’s staffing office, who was joined in line by Richmond Home Health staffers Monica Bird and Grace Adrias, who took up second and third positions, respectively.

Reid met and chatted with nearly 100 VCH Richmond staff during his meet-and-greet, and hospital tour. Anyone who had their photo taken with Reid will receive a drop-box link from the Richmond Hospital Foundation office next week.