Kids love stickers.
Not sure if it is a scientific fact or just something every parent, caregiver, and teacher can attest to.
It’s one of the reasons why University of Michigan Health C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital utilizes stickers for guests and patients who come to visit.
This, however, can lead to the inevitable problem of having a sticker on your clothes: What do you do with them when you’re done with them?
Anyone who has ever forgotten they had a nametag left on a shirt or sweater that finds its way into the washer and dryer will tell you that article of clothing is basically ruined. So the logical thing is to remove the sticker as soon as you exit the hospital.
This has led to a big mess.
“Our midnight staff had asked if there was some way of asking for stickers at the hospital exits,” explains Paul Clark, Parking Maintenance Manager for U-M’s Logistics, Transportation, and Parking.
Paul’s crew was spending hours trying to scrape stickers off of walls, columns, and even the ceiling of the parking structure across from C.S. Mott.
An idea for putting up signs just inside the parking structure was suggested. The concept was for guests returning to their vehicles to remove their stickers and instead stick them to the signs. By adding Sesame Street’s Big Bird, a character recognizable to children, and the fun tagline of “Stick M Here”, featuring the Michigan Block M, the team hoped to gamify assisting the maintenance crew in keeping the facility cleaner.
“Pete Kyryluk (Sign Maker) in the sign shop proposed the “Stick M Here” and Adam Drain (Construction Project Coordinator) I believe suggested tying in Big Bird,” remembered Paul.
Once the team had an idea and a mockup ready, they brought it to management for the green light.
“Steve Dolen (Executive Director, LTP) was supportive of fast-tracking the idea along with Kim LeClair (General Manager),” said Paul.
So have the signs had any effect?
“It has proven to be a huge success,” smiled Paul. “The midnight team has an additional three to four hours a night to do other maintenance tasks besides peeling stickers off walls and ceilings. The signs are being filled with stickers within days and have to be changed out for new signs.”
Paul said the teamwork and can-do attitude of the entire parking department was something of which he was extremely proud. He said that everyone was very supportive.
“I also want to give a shout-out to Joe Hatfield and Bobby Tye in the sign shop who change the signs for us when they get overloaded,” said Paul.
What a creative solution to continue to Make Blue Go!
I’m sure each child who uses these signs would agree: Everyone involved deserves a sticker.
