ABERDEEN, S.D. & FAIRMONT, MN. (Press Release) – In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the nursing students, faculty, and staff at Presentation College Aberdeen, and Fairmont, Minn. took time to show their appreciation for our healthcare providers at Avera St. Luke’s Hospital in Aberdeen, Sanford hospital in Aberdeen, and the Mayo Clinic Health System in Fairmont.
Last week the Presentation College Nursing Student Association (PCNSA) partnered with Nick Schaunaman, the owner of Jimmy’s Pizza, and Dan Cleberg, the owner of Red Rooster Coffee House to support the healthcare workers at Avera St. Luke’s by providing the night staff with thank you notes, pizza, coffee, and tea. The nursing students recognize the COVID-19 pandemic is having an effect on everyone and has resulted in challenging times for our community family. Healthcare workers on the front-line of the pandemic are working under challenging circumstances. The students know healthcare workers are resilient and wanted to support them by providing a meal. Friday night was an example of our Aberdeen people coming together to show support for the people who care for the health of our community every day.
Presentation College Student Nurse Association (PCNSA) partnered with Jimmy’s Pizza and Red Rooster Coffee House for the second week, to provide dinner and encouragement to our community’s front-line healthcare workers at Sanford hospital in Aberdeen. Dr. Sandra Welling, Dean of Nursing at Presentation College, and the PC nursing students appreciate the healthcare community partners and want to support them during this unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic. PC students Shelby Teitz and Emily Schock assisted with the delivery and stated, “It’s a great feeling to be able to give back to the local healthcare workers during this time” and “this experience allowed us to show kindness to others through our actions.”
The Fairmont Student Nursing Association has worked throughout the year donating time and resources to support the local community. However, due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic, volunteer opportunities have decreased but the desire to help others have not. Recently the PC Fairmont nursing students were discussing ways to continue to show support to the local hospital that has supported the college over the years. The need identified was for food that was quick. A plan was made to purchase individual snack items as well as breakfast and dinner single serving items for the employees. The FSNA advisor met a staff member outside the hospital last week to deliver the items.
Dan Cleberg, owner of Red Rooster Coffee House, acknowledged, “In a perfect world we all collaborate to make our communities better. The Red Rooster is happy to collaborate with PCNSA and Jimmy’s Pizza to support healthcare workers in an altogether big step toward that perfection.” Nick Schaunaman, owner of Jimmy’s Pizza, affirmed, “It has been a real pleasure and rewarding experience working with Presentation College nursing students in giving back to our healthcare providers.”
The nursing students appreciate both Dan Cleberg the owner of Red Rooster Coffee House and Nick Schaunaman the owner of Jimmy’s Pizza for making this possible.