Brighton Billing Specialist’s Zion Adventure Sparks Creativity

“I believe that the confidence and focus I find in the Wild West will come home with me to make me a more creative, focused, and thoughtful individual.”

Danielle Westfall, Brighton billing specialist, shared this sentiment, along with a description of her “bucket list” national park adventure, in her winning 2022 sabbatical entry. She submitted the essay in answer to CEO Tina VonderHaar’s biannual question, “What would you do with an extra week of vacation and $1,500 spending cash to help you become a better Brightonian?”

“I would like to spend time disconnected from technology and be able to reflect on what is truly important in life,” Danielle wrote. “I think this will allow me to focus better and bring more enthusiasm and creativity to my work at Brighton. If chosen for this trip, I would love to take the chance to see Zion National Park in Utah. I would stay in a cabin to spend a few days exploring, hiking, photographing and journaling my way through the trails within the park. After exploring and taking in what nature has to offer during the day, I plan to sit near a campfire to transcribe my thoughts and reflect on what is around me and what I want to create ahead in my life.”

Danielle recently returned from her sabbatical, and she certainly made the most of it. She logged 3,574 travel miles, climbed 869 feet and walked/hiked 74,650 steps – more than 35 miles.

She has more than memories of the excursion; she sharpened her photography skills and captured dozens of beautiful landscape and wildlife images. Below are a few of our favorites.

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