We just gave out our first scholarship.

Yes, you read that correctly.

Ok, so no money changed hands on our end.  However…..

I received this email:

“Hello! This is <name redacted>.  I was rear ended the day before Thanksgiving and it has taken me off of work. Because of that, I had to let my son’s Christmas that was on layaway go back, because I didn’t have the money to pay it. I am also trying to save the money to buy the supplies I need to start my classes right after Christmas. I would be grateful for just a few gifts for my son. He is 5. I am also a single mom with no financial help from his father. My mom passed away on Thanksgiving 2010, and my dad is a drunk. I haven’t heard from him in months. I tried to get help from our local toy drive but they couldn’t help due to no funds. I would be forever grateful for helping me with a Christmas for my son. Thank you for your time!”

So we adopted her.  Baby got Christmas presents. We talked a little more and she asked me a question….

“Janie, I have a question. Do you know any online shops that sell good quality, yet cheap white scrub sets? Also could you suggest a good quality, yet cheap stethoscope? I have to have those items, plus a watch with 2nd hand, a manual blood pressure cuff, and white leather shoes, by the week after Christmas. I was able to find 1 pair of white bottoms at our local second hand shop for 49 cents yesterday, but nothing else. Thank you!”

I verified where she was starting school, which was Richland Community College, and that it had programs for health professions.

I asked her size….

And we adopted her in a different way.  By giving a “2 sets of scrubs, a stethoscope, shoes, a watch, and a blood pressure cuff.” away to her. The scrubs from an Amazon wishlist, the rest from gently used donations from our members.

So, our cast-off stuff, plus a moderate donation of new scrubs made a huge difference in her life. And then I got a hare-brained idea.  I asked if our members would like to start a scrub bank, so we could keep scrubs organized in one place for this eventuality.  Any color, any size, good condition.  Also used stethoscopes, B/p cuffs, watches, shoes, etc.  (naturally, I am the organizing ‘we’.)

They love the idea! I get to clean out my closet and donate to people who may need it! We all can!

And we did what nurses do.  We helped.

Then my next hare-brained idea:

We are going to start a scrubs bank for people with financial need, so everyone is going to mail me their old scrubs, shoes, watches, jackets, stethoscopes, etc. I will try to fulfill wish lists for students and new RN/LPN/CNA’s.

Because you know I was not busy enough already. 🙂

 

Love,

Janie

 

 

 

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