Pat Barrow BSN, RN, co-founder of the Mile High Nurses Honor Guard, was our April Speaker. Ms. Barrow discussed the founding of the Honor Guard, what services it entails, how to contact them, and how to become involved. Nurses Furthering Knowledge (NFK) were so moved by her presentation that members donated $200 to defray their costs.
Our May Board Meeting was open to all CNA members to discuss the future direction of the newly formed NFK Constituent Association. Besides continuing our monthly speakers, we are committed to funding an NFK Scholarship annually administered through the Colorado Nurses Foundation (CNF). Our annual fundraising event through tickets purchased for a theater performance will continue. With the discontinuation of district membership dues which helped support previous scholarships, donations from members are needed to support future scholarships and should be sent directly to the CNF with the notation that monies are for the Nurses Furthering Knowledge Scholarship. Thanks to donations over the past five years and $500 in matching funds from CNA, NFK will award a $1500 scholarship in 2025. Applicants should demonstrate leadership through volunteering for school, community and work activities and agree to attend one NFK meeting in 2026.
We were pleased to receive a text from our 2024 scholarship recipient Maya Lindgren informing us that her research has been accepted for a poster presentation at the 2025 National Nurse Practitioner Symposium July 15-19 in Keystone. The poster topic is “Surgical Guidelines for GLP-1 Receptor Agonist Medications (Ozempic)”. Maya will present her research at our October meeting.
NFK has filled all its Board and Nominating Committee positions for 2025-26. Thanks go to Irene Drabek, Rita Beam and Barbara Pederson, members of the Nominating Committee, for completing the slate. Congratulations to the reelected and returning Board members – President, Annette Cannon; Vice President, Betsy Wolfe; Treasurer, Allison Windes; Secretary, Irene Drabek; and Board Members-at-Large, Kathy Crisler, Susan Moyer, Jean Schroeder, and Norma Tubman. Elected to the Nominating Committee are Rita Beam, Barbara Pederson, and Irene Drabek.
Appreciation goes out to members who attended Healthcare Appreciation Nights at the Rockies. A portion of ticket sales will go directly to the NFK Scholarship Fund. Appreciation also goes to Norma Tubman and Betsy Wolfe who attended the Excellence in Nursing Awards held May 18. Profits from this event support Colorado Nurses Foundation nursing scholarships.
Members attended the CNA Legislative Debrief Town Hall Meeting May 14 and the Southwest CNA Constituent Association presentation “Everybody’s Work: Healing What Hurts Us All” April 17. Members responded to an appeal from The Action Center in Lakewood asking for donations of diapers donating over 100 diapers.
Continue to read Annette Cannon’s NFK’s President’s Messages posted monthly on the MyCNA website. April’s message was associated with rebirth, renewal and new beginnings. May’s message was about growth as spring arrives and the many May holidays, especially those honoring service veterans alive and deceased, are celebrated.
