I had a call this week from a woman in my church, who (with her husband) leads our Angel Tree mission project. In late November, little paper angels with children’s names and ages appear on a small Christmas tree in the church narthex.
Church members “adopt” the angels and purchase gifts for those children. The toys are distributed by a local nonprofit organization that provides food, clothing and other services to people in need.
It’s a heartwarming sight to see all the packages gathered around the tree in mid-December, and I’m always grateful for the generosity of our congregation. But it takes a behind-the-scenes effort to coordinate with the organization and find out its needs, publicize the drive, compile lists of age-appropriate gifts, cut out paper angels and deliver the toys. Since not everyone makes the deadline to buy the gifts, it usually takes several trips.
Yet our Angel Tree coordinator volunteers for this role year after year. And you guessed it — she’s a nurse.
As you’ll read in our cover story, many nurses and other health care professionals are generous in sharing their skills, knowledge and compassion outside of work. They serve at free clinics, go on mission trips, head charity drives and volunteer with churches, schools and community organizations.
Many say they give back out of gratitude for what they’ve been given. Caring is what they do, and they have a unique ability to help others.
Kylie Rowlands, RN, CNM, CNS, SANE, nurse manager of the mother/baby unit at Rockdale Medical Center, recently bought and delivered medicine to a seriously sick friend who was out of work.
“It’s really the small things you do that make a big impact on people’s lives,” Rowlands said. “If you can’t help the people around you, what’s the good of being a nurse?”
Nominate special nurses
Nurses often go above and beyond at work, as well. We see proof of that in the hundreds of nominations we get from patients, families and co-workers for the ajcjobs Nursing Excellence Awards each year. Acts that nurses often consider “small kindnesses” or “just part of the job” are seen as comforting, life-sustaining, unforgettable blessings by others.
During this season of Thanksgiving, why not take a few moments to honor a nurse who has made a difference. To nominate a nurse for the sixth annual ajcjobs Celebrating Nurses awards, go to www.ajc.com/go/celebratingnurses and click on the Nursing Excellence Awards link. The entry deadline is Jan. 30.
We have a winner!
Jeff Vermilya , a hospital/homebound instructor with Cobb County Schools, won a $300 Visa gift card in the Check Your Pulse contest. All he did was register for Pulse Plus, our new monthly e-mail newsletter.
If you did not register for Pulse Plus before Sept. 30 as part of the first contest, you have another chance to win a $300 Visa gift card. Just sign up for Pulse Plus at ajc.com/go/pulsecontest before Dec. 31. Just remember, the contest is open to new registrants only.
Do you have any story ideas for Pulse or Pulse Plus? Call 404-526-5664 or send e-mail to jbrieske@ajc.com or lfraines@comcast.net.
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