Apr 17
Former Hospital Volunteer Group Establishes Scholarship for Nursing Students
April 17, 2018 – The Richmond Community College Foundation recently announced the establishment of the Sandhills Regional Medical Center Ladies Auxiliary Scholarship, which will be awarded to students in the Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) program.
The Ladies Auxiliary operated a small gift shop in the former Sandhills Regional Medical Center, and over the many years, they saved the money that was made by the operation. The group reached out to the College and expressed an interest in using this money to create a scholarship for students pursuing a career in nursing.
“The Foundation feels very honored to receive this money. They had many opportunities to give to many worthwhile organizations, but they chose Richmond Community College,” Dr. Hal Shuler, Associate Vice President for Development, said. “These ladies are to all be commended for their hard work through the many years and for this wonderful gift to our college and community.”
Mitch Greene, a former nurse of 40 years, spoke on behalf of the Ladies Auxiliary at the scholarship reception held April 9 at the Cole Auditorium.
“Volunteers play a critical role in the hospital, supplementing the hospital staff in greeting and comforting patients and their families,” Greene said. “We saw a lot first-hand what it means to be kind. It’s so important to be kind and polite to all people, especially at the hospital where so many people who walk through the doors are hurting and afraid.”
Greene described the many ways the Ladies Auxiliary group volunteered at the hospital from working the gift shop to greeting patients to delivering books. One event that was always popular was their homemade bake sale.
“I enjoyed my years of volunteering, but that’s not important. The most important thing is that I was able to contribute in a small way in this scholarship,” Greene said.
Dr. Dale McInnis ensured the Ladies Auxiliary group that the legacy of the good work they did for the hospital would live on through this scholarship.
“We have such an eclectic range of students in our nursing program. We have 18- to 19-year-olds to those who have grown children and are coming back to school to start a second career. They all need different types of support,” McInnis said. “This scholarship is going to make a difference in the lives of these students. It’s going to help someone be able to stay in school and complete their degree.”
The $500 scholarship will be awarded each semester beginning this fall semester to a student from Richmond County enrolled in the ADN program. Nursing students who are head of household with dependents or are seeking a new career are strongly encouraged to apply for the scholarship.