WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — United Regional Health Care System employs more than 2,000 in the Wichita Falls community.

When you can’t take that many employees to Disney World, United Regional brings Disney World, or United Regional World, to them.

“They work so hard and so anything that we can do all year long to really show them some appreciation and give them a chance to have some fun,” URHCS Director of Clinical Education & Co-Chair of the Rewards and Recognition Committee Andrea Anderle said.

Local food trucks, gift distribution, games, an obstacle course and fellowship, the parking lot at 12th and Grace transformed into a getaway for United Regional staff during hospital week.

Perhaps the most highly anticipated part though is each department’s desire to get their hands on the Golden Gurney traveling trophy.

This year, teams had to come up with a Disney parody.

“It has been the coveted prize throughout the year so teams plan all year long about what their competition is going to be so that they can win and there’s some pretty serious rivalries out here,” Anderle said.

Despite the friendly competition in the United Regional World parking lot, inside the hospital and throughout URHCS’ many other facilities, teamwork is evident.

Walt Disney said it best: “Togetherness, for me, means teamwork.”

“It really is United Regional World because we are our own little city within the walls of the hospital, from food services to housekeeping, there’s finance people and none of us could be successful at what we do without one another so it is awesome that this is United Regional World because it truly is all of us to make the world go round,” Anderle said.

Anderle said the staff has been through it the past three years because of the pandemic and that this is just a small way to say thank you.

“The amount of work that they did throughout that and then we weren’t really able to do some of these fun things where we get together so coming out of the pandemic was just a breath of fresh air to really be able to get together again and get everybody together and have some fun,” Anderle said.

No one got left behind during the hospital week celebration either.

“Typically clinical staff work a block schedule so we’re doing it on two days so that everybody can come and we also come back at night shift because it’s very important that we recognize them as well, ” Anderle said. “So we’ll bring all the food trucks back, the gift distribution, some of the music and games, we’ll bring that back at night.”

It’s an opportunity for URHCS staff to step away from the stress of work.

“That’s what it’s all about, it’s really to get people outside the walls just to have some fun and to chill out for a little bit,” Anderle said.

Just proof that the “Happiest Place on Earth” might not be a place too far away.

United Regional also held a fun run, walk and bike ride during hospital week.

They hosted a golf tournament on Friday, May 12, 2023, too.