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A picture may be worth a thousand words, but at Penn State Health Lancaster Medical Center’s photography exhibit, on display on the main floor of the hospital, each image’s message boils really down to two: thank you.

Unveiled in July, the medical center’s “The Gratitude Project,” memorializes the stories of its health care workers while they navigated the COVID-19 pandemic.

Each participant in the photography project was encouraged to pose with an object or person that they were most grateful for during such a turbulent time.

Produced by a local husband-and-wife team, the display is both a representation of the fortitude and resilience of Penn State Health’s workers and an expression of gratitude for their purposeful work.

The Gratitude Project took about a year and a half to bring to life. The collection of 32 black and white photos span a long corridor, giving viewers a sense of strength, gratitude, vulnerability and trust. Video and audio components are included.

Joe Frank, Penn State Health East Region president, which includes Lancaster Medical Center, said “We stood up to a once-in-a-lifetime event. I had to try to find a way to honor employees’ commitment and showcase our gratitude.”