FNU
FRONTIER NURSING UNIVERSITY Winter 2017
Volume 91
Number 4
Frontier Nursing University Honored With Jonas Nursing Education Award
TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction to FNU................................................................................1 The Journey – Dr. Susan Stone.................................................................2 Alumni Spotlight......................................................................................4 Focus on the Faculty.................................................................................6 Courier Corner.........................................................................................8 Courier Spotlight....................................................................................10 Field Notes ..............................................................................................13 Beyond the Mountains...........................................................................15 Notes........................................................................................................19 Wendover Report....................................................................................21 Footprints................................................................................................23 Tributes....................................................................................................24 In Memoriam..........................................................................................26 Trustees...................................................................................................28 Board of Directors..................................................................................30 Your Gifts at Work..................................................................................31 Ways to Give............................................................................................33
US ISSN 0016-2116 Frontier Nursing Service Quarterly Bulletin (USPS 835-740, ISSN 00162116) is published at the end of each quarter by Frontier Nursing Service, Inc., 132 FNS Dr., Wendover, KY 41775. Periodicals Postage Paid at Hyden, KY, and at additional mailing offices. Subscriptions: $5 per year. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Frontier Nursing Service Quarterly Bulletin, 132 FNS Dr., Wendover, KY 41775. Copyright FNS, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Frontier does not share its donor mailing list.
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Introduction to Frontier Nursing University
M
ary Breckinridge spent her early years in many parts of the world — Russia, France, Switzerland and the British Isles. After the deaths of her two children, she abandoned the homebound life expected of women of her class to devote herself to the service of families, with a particular focus on children. Mrs. Breckinridge founded the Frontier Nursing Service in 1925 after several years of studying and practicing nursing and midwifery in the United States, England, Scotland and France. It was the first organization in America to use nurses trained as midwives collaborating with a single medical doctor, based at their small hospital in Hyden. Originally the staff was composed o f nurse-midwives trained in England. They Our aim has always been traveled on horseback and on foot to provide to see ourselves surpassed, quality primary care, including maternity care, to families in their own homes. In 1928, and on a larger scale.” she recruited young people to serve as Couriers – Mary Breckinridge, and help the Frontier staff and nurse-midwives in Wide Neighborhoods, 1952 all manner of efforts. In 1939, Mrs. Breckinridge established a school of nurse-midwifery. The school provided graduates, many of whom stayed to offer care to families in Leslie County, Kentucky.
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Today, Mrs. Breckinridge’s legacy extends far beyond Eastern Kentucky through Frontier Nursing University (FNU), which offers a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree and a Master of Science in Nursing degree with tracks as a Nurse-Midwife, Family Nurse Practitioner and Women’s Health Care Nurse Practitioner. FNU has students and graduates serving all 50 states and many countries.
How to Reach Us The Office of Development and Alumni Relations: Please direct questions, comments or updates to Denise Barrett, Director of Development, at (859) 899-2828 or send an e-mail to development@frontier.edu. The Wendover Bed & Breakfast Inn: The Big House, Mary Breckinridge’s home, is a licensed Bed & Breakfast Inn located at Wendover. For reservations or to arrange a tour, call Michael Claussen, Development Officer, at (859) 899-2707 or e-mail michael.claussen@frontier.edu. Group tours can be arranged, and we are always happy to set up tours for organizations and educational programs with an interest in nursing history and Appalachian studies.
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the journey
Continuing to Explore New Frontiers
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s we begin a new year, we are excited for the new challenges and opportunities in our future. Our growth and success over the last ten years have been tremendous, but we continue to have much work to do to achieve our mission. It is exciting to dream of the possibilities and then work with our Board of Directors, faculty, staff, supporters, alumni, preceptors, and students around the world to truly make it happen together. Our annual planning helps us to move forward and is a remarkable process that keeps us continually improving in our efforts. Our Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner program is well underway. The first cohort of students came to Kentucky for Frontier Bound last December, and are enrolled in their courses now. We expect this program to grow quickly as demand for these services is high, especially for our students residing in rural and medically underserved areas. We are continuing to improve curriculum and education for our students. Several collaborative partnerships with medical schools and health centers provide opportunities to introduce interprofessional education and online simulations into our curriculum. We aim to remain on the cutting edge of what is possible in delivery of advanced practice nursing and midwifery education to students nationwide.
We aim to remain on the cutting edge of what is possible in delivery of advanced practice nursing and midwifery education to students nationwide.
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Our graduates are excelling — Frontier’s recent pass rates on national certification exams continue to be well above the national average. And we learned that in 2016, 35% of newly certified nurse-midwives were graduates from Frontier Nursing University. There is no denying our role and impact in the advanced nursing and midwifery professions.
35% of newly certified nursemidwives were graduates from Frontier Nursing University.
We continue to celebrate our historical roots. We recently hosted the producers of the hit PBS show, “Call the Midwife” at Wendover and Hyden. We are excited at the possibility of sharing the story of the Frontier nurses on horseback with a worldwide audience — “stay tuned.” We wish you a happy, healthy, and prosperous new year! Thank you for your support through donations, precepting students, and sharing the good work of Frontier students and graduates. Together we are improving healthcare, one graduate at a time!
Susan E. Stone, DNSc, CNM, FAAN, FACNM President
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alumni spotlight
Jane Arnold, CNM, CNEP
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n 1989, Kitty Ernst led Frontier Nursing University (FNU)’s first distance learning nurse-midwifery program in Perkiomenville, PA. One member of this pioneer distance learning class was Jane Arnold, MSN, Class 1. Jane adopted the pioneer mindset during her FNU education and continued this into her esteemed and groundbreaking career.
“ Frontier keeps alive the flame that Mary Breckinridge lit. She was a visionary in the care of women and what nursemidwifery could be.”
After graduating in 1993, Jane was recruited to establish the first hospital-based nurse-midwifery practice on Long Island, Stony Brook Medical Center. Her biggest challenge from the beginning was educating the population, as there was no prior knowledge of nurse-midwifery. She went about this task “quietly and simply” by stating, “midwives are not an alternative to physician practices but a choice.”
Every high-risk patient seen at Stony Brook was sent to a physician and once cleared, returned to the nurse-midwifery practice to finish their care. As the popularity of the nurse-midwifery practice grew, many women wanted to keep their nurse-midwives even if they needed physician care, so Jane and her team managed these families in tandem with the physicians. “This education of the population didn’t happen overnight,” said Jane, “but when women realized the tender loving care we offered and that we were knowledgeable in birth and postpartum care, the floodgates opened.” 4
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By 2006, Stony Brook nurse-midwives had attended 20,000 births and had grown to a team of 15. In 2009, Jane served as the Midwifery Director at a newly built hospital in Gaborone, Botswana. She and her team recruited and educated nurse-midwives for clinics and labor and delivery. Then, in 2012, Jane spent two years in Rwanda developing a BSN program for nurse-midwives. She united American and local Rwandan nurse-midwives to develop curriculum and to build the first BSN program to exist in the African country. Her team taught classes and assisted students with delivery at community health centers. “This program was by far the most meaningful work to make a difference for women that I have ever done. It was the epitome of my career as a nurse-midwife,” said Jane. “Frontier keeps alive the flame that Mary Breckinridge lit. She was a visionary in the care of women and what nurse-midwifery could be.”
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focus on the faculty
Nena Harris, PhD, FNP-BC, CNM
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hile serving as a full-time faculty member at Frontier Nursing University, Nena Harris also volunteers time providing care to women and children at a free clinic for residents of a homeless shelter in Charlotte, N.C. According to Nena, most of the women in the shelter come from a long family line of poverty – some can even remember being in the shelter as children. Substance abuse, mental health disorders, and sometimes even domestic violence and prostitution take precedence in these women’s lives, pushing their health to the back burner. At the clinic, they are able to obtain quality health care services, including prescriptions and lab work, free of charge during a very vulnerable stage of life. The clinic also offers limited extended care so that some women can return after they leave the shelter. Nena helps provide care for these women at the clinic, young and old.
“ Everything about the history and mission of Frontier resonated with me and the type of provider I wanted to be in my community."
“I wanted to become dually certified as a family nurse practitioner and nursemidwife so that I could offer care across the spectrum of life,” said Nena. Nena began her nursing education at an Ivy League school, intending to continue with her graduate level education there as well. After attending a birth center workshop during her first semester and interacting with a few Frontier students, Nena began researching FNU. 6
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“Everything about the history and mission of Frontier resonated with me and the type of provider I wanted to be in my community,” said Nena. “The rest is history!” Nena graduated from FNU in 2006 with a master’s degree in nursing (MSN) in nurse-midwifery. She earned her PhD, MSN (FNP), and BSN degrees from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill School of Nursing. She also has a BA in Anthropology from Davidson College, with an emphasis on cultural and gender studies. Along with her work at the shelter clinic, she currently teaches women’s health and childbearing at FNU. According to Nena, she appreciates the opportunity to provide compassionate, quality healthcare to women in all stages of life. “Teaching at FNU has allowed me to maintain balance so that I can provide care for my community just like we encourage our students to provide for their communities.” Thank you, Nena, for setting a wonderful example for compassionate care!
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courier corner By Mandy Hancock, FNU Courier Program Coordinator
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ecruitment for summer 2017 is fully underway! Kiersten White, Courier Program VISTA volunteer, and I have had a great time reaching out to different colleges, talking to excited applicants, and gearing up for the 2017 summer. One exciting addition to the Courier Program this year is the Courier Faculty Advisors. We are extremely grateful that three FNU faculty members have agreed to serve as advisors to the Courier Program. Please join us in welcoming Laura Manns-James, PhD (candidate), CNM, WHNP-BC, certified menopause clinician, Sharon C. Hunsucker, PhD, RN, FNP-C, and Diane Y. John PhD, ARNP, FNP-BC. These faculty are lending their expertise and assisting with the Courier curriculum. I am also happy to announce that the 2017 Couriers will participate in Diversity Impact weekend to kick off their summer experience. Additionally, we have reserved up to ten spots for Courier Alumni who would also like to join us! Diversity Impact Weekend is an opportunity to learn more about diversity while taking in the sights of nature's mountains and quiet rivers in Hyden, Ky. Diversity Impact
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2017 Weekend Conference is hosted by the FNU PRIDE Diversity Initiative, and is open to all students, alumni, and Couriers who want to become part of FNU's legacy of providing culturally competent care to rural and underserved communities. Participants will engage in cross-cultural and intercultural workshop activities, along with leadership strategies on current diversity healthcare trends as it relates to patient-provider care. Workshop topics include: Environmental Health, Race and Patient Care, Gender Diversity in Nursing, LGBT Health, Health Disparities, Religious Diversity and Patients, Politics and Health, Nurse Safety, Vulnerable Populations and much more! Diversity Impact Weekend is scheduled for Thursday, June 1, 2017– Sunday, June 4, 2017. This popular conference fills up fast, so please contact me soon if you would like to attend. You can reach me at mandy.hancock@frontier.edu for more information.
Let’s Connect!
Once a Courier, Always a Courier! Like us on Facebook! Share your story! I want to capture your memories! Contact me at courier.program@frontier.edu for an interview. Host a “high tea” at your home, in the spirit of Mary Breckinridge. I will help you plan it! Come home to Wendover! Visit the place where your journey began! I will meet you for tea!
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courier spotlight
Paul Florsheim, Courier 1983 Dr. Paul Florsheim is Professor, Community & Behavioral Health Promotion, at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee Joseph J. Zilber School of Public Health. His research interests focus on: (1) public health issues relevant to high-risk adolescents, including the prevention of relationship problems and mental illness (intimate partner violence, substance abuse, psychosis, and behavioral disorders); (2) interpersonal developmental processes related to health and mental health across the lifespan. What year(s) did you serve? 1983. Where are you originally from? Milwaukee, WI. Where do you currently reside? Milwaukee, WI. Briefly introduce yourself: My name is Paul Florsheim, and I was a courier over 30 years ago. The courier program was inspiring for me and has influenced my work as a professor of public health and a clinical psychologist working with young mothers and fathers in the area of perinatal mental health. Briefly describe your experience as a Courier. While I was a courier, I lived at Wendover and traveled from clinic to clinic assisting doctors and nurses with routine medical procedures. I recall holding down a six or seven year old boy who was having an infected boil lanced and doing a pregnancy test on a woman who was not happy about the result. These experiences introduced me to importance of compassion and kindness in medical care. On occasion I attended births at the hospital in Hyden and remember the pubic service physicians who took us under their wings and taught us about medicine and nursing in the FNS tradition. I was impressed with their sense of purposefulness and good will. 10
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How did the Courier Program impact your life and your vocational direction? As indicated, I am a professor of public health and a clinical psychologist working primarily with underserved and disadvantaged populations. My work focuses on developing programs to support the mental health and relationship health of young expectant mothers and fathers across the transition to parenthood. I have been working with midwives in prenatal clinics for many years and when I mention I spent a summer at FNS my credibility increases ten-fold. My commitment to helping expectant mother and fathers with the transition to parenthood certainly began at FNS. What is the legacy of the Courier program from your view? I have always been impressed with the story of Mary Breckinridge, who wanted to make the world a better place so she just jumped on her horse and did what she could - and it worked. It's a great model for young people who want to make a difference. Why do you remain involved? I had a wonderful summer at FNS and would like other young people to have opportunity to learn in this unique setting. What are your biggest accomplishments since serving as a Courier? My biggest accomplishment is launching a new school of public health in Milwaukee, Wisconsin where a school of public health was truly needed because of the vast public health problems. Hopefully, all that time and money and effort pays off over the years. Do you have a favorite memory from your Courier experience? I think my favorite memories were of my interactions with different members of the Wooton family. One of the younger Wooton boys helped me kill a poisonous snake that had been hanging around the Wendover house, which was exciting. One of the older Wootons built a rocking chair for me from scratch...meaning that he and I picked out a tree to cut down and then about a week later, that tree was a chair. I put an address tag on it, took it to the local post office and mailed it home to my parents. Still have it.
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courier quotes
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field notes
Heather Shlosser, DNP, FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC, appointed Director of the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner specialty track
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r. Shlosser is board certified as both a family nurse practitioner and a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. Her clinical focus is integrative behavioral health serving those across the lifespan. Dr. Shlosser has special interests in addictions medicine, pain management, motivational interviewing and mindfulness therapy. Her clinical experience includes full-scope primary care and out-patient psychiatric care. Dr. Shlosser earned her undergraduate degree in nursing from the Elms College in Massachusetts, a Master of Science degree from Frontier Nursing University, a Post Master’s of Science from the University of Virginia and a Doctor of Nursing Practice from the University of Virginia.
Joan Slager, has joined Frontier as Director of the Post-Master’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program
“ It is a pleasure to return to Frontier where my midwifery career has its roots.”
Joan Slager graduated from the Frontier School of Midwifery and Family Nursing in 1991 as member of the first CNEP class, the “chicken coop” midwives. She completed her Master of Science in Nursing at Case Western University in 1993. She graduated from Oakland University in Rochester, MI with a Doctor in Nursing Practice in Dec. 2008. In 1993, she helped to establish Bronson Women’s Service in Kalamazoo, Michigan which is now Michigan’s largest midwifery service with 14 midwives. Dr. Slager practiced full scope midwifery in this hospital based collaborative practice and served as the practice director from 1995 through December 2016. She continues to work per diem in this practice.
Dr. Slager served two terms as Chair of the Business Section of the Division of Standards and Practice for the American College of Nurse-Midwives and 4 years as the Division Chair. She is currently serving a second term as the Treasurer on 13
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the ACNM Board of Directors. She has lectured and published extensively on billing and coding and other business and clinical topics.
FNU Leadership Council The FNU Leadership Council convened for its bi-annual meeting on October 27. The group meets twice annually to advise on fundraising and resources to support Frontier Nursing University.
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beyond the mountains
FNU honored with Jonas Nursing Education Award
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he Jonas Center for Nursing and Veterans Healthcare culminated its 10th anniversary year by recognizing champions of nursing across the healthcare system at an awards luncheon in New York City on December 6, 2016. The awards honored accomplishments of individuals and organizations dedicated to advancPictured l to r: Holly Powell Kennedy, Susan Graham, ing the nursing profession through Julie Marfell, Bill Lubic, Ruth Lubic, Susan Stone, Jon outstanding leadership in a field so Kucera, Noel Smith Fernandez, and Denise Barrett essential to our health and well-being. Frontier Nursing University was honored to be an award recipient. Frontier Nursing University (FNU) received the Jonas Nursing Education Award. This award was given to FNU for its unwavering service to preparing the next generation of nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners. “Our honorees represent exceptional professionals from a variety of fields, including philanthropy, academia and arts,” said Donald Jonas, who co-founded the Center with his wife, Barbara Jonas. “It is of paramount importance that we recognize and support their continuous efforts to advance nursing through innovation, education, awareness building and promoting nursing leadership.” Dr. Susan Stone, President of FNU, accepted the Jonas Nursing Education Award on behalf of alumni and students. In her remarks, Stone noted, “We have been honored to have six Jonas Scholars graduate from Frontier Nursing University, and we have recently enrolled another four Scholars for the 2016 cohort. As a community-based program, our Scholars are from across the United States —Alaska, Maine, Montana, Idaho and Hawaii.” The Jonas program has had a very positive impact on these Scholars and their doctoral projects, introducing them to leaders in their chosen fields and interests, and connecting them to a powerful network of support. Stone’s remarks described the current enrollment of nearly 2,000 students, the majority from rural areas and health professional shortage areas, that are helping to meet FNU’s mission to educate nurses to become competent, en15
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trepreneurial, ethical and compassionate nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners who are leaders in the primary care of women and families with an emphasis on underserved and rural populations. Joining Dr. Stone at the awards luncheon were several honored guests including Susan Graham, devoted supporter of FNU and a descendant of FNU’s founder Mary Breckinridge, and her husband Jon Kucera; Noel Smith Fernandez, former Social Services Secretary for the Frontier Nursing Service; and Ruth and Bill Lubic, national leaders in the midwifery field. Dr. Julie Marfell, Dean of Nursing, and Denise Barrett, Director of Development, were also present to accept this award. Awards were also presented to the following individuals and organizations to recognize their outstanding contributions to nursing. Mary Jane Blaustein, BA, RNC, NP - Jonas Nursing Leadership Award Ms. Blaustein is an Emeritus assistant professor of psychiatry at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She was one of the original founders and a board member of the Baltimore Rape Crisis Center and the Alzheimer's Disease Association of Maryland, and is the past president of the Morton K. and Jane Blaustein Foundation, a longtime partner of the Jonas Center. Center to Champion Nursing in America - Jonas Nursing Innovation Award Started in 2007 as an initiative of AARP Foundation, AARP, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation under the leadership of Susan Reinhard, PhD, RN, FAAN and Susan Hassmiller, PhD, RN, FAAN, the Center to Champion Nursing in America believes that everyone in America can live a healthier life, supported by a system in which nurses are essential partners in providing health care and promoting health. Claire M. Fagin, PhD, RN, FAAN - Jonas Ambassador Award Dr. Fagin, Dean Emerita and Leadership Professor Emerita of the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, is an Ambassador to the Jonas Scholar program and provides guidance for the Center’s strategic planning. The Rita & Alex Hillman Foundation - Jonas Philanthropy Award Under the leadership of Executive Director Ahrin Mishan, the Foundation’s education initiatives center on the development of research and nurse-led innovation targeting areas of need, such as management of chronic illness, reducing disparities in care, and care for the aging population. Carolyn Jones, Photographer & Filmmaker - Jonas Nurse Champion Award Ms. Jones is the creator of a book and film, The American Nurse, focused on raising
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the volume of the nurse’s voice in this country, and the forthcoming film Defining Hope, which examines the dying experience through the eyes of nurses, and is supported in part by the Jonas Center. “We congratulate and sincerely thank this year’s honorees for their professional and outstanding contributions to the vitally important field of nursing,” said Darlene J. Curley, CEO of The Jonas Family Fund and Executive Director of the Jonas Center.
Lees Breckinridge Yunits, Chair of the FNU Boston Committee, and Peter Coffin, Chair of the FNS Foundation Board, host events in Boston In mid-November, among the still vibrant fall colors in Boston, we were honored to visit with friends and celebrate Frontier. Peter Coffin, Chair of the FNS Foundation Board of Directors and member of the FNU Leadership Council, hosted a wonderful evening reception. Members of the Breckinridge Capital Advisors Social Charitable Committee attended and were recognized for their generous sponsorship of a new scholarship for Frontier students. The gathering also included Couriers and alumni. The following Friday, Lees Breckinridge Units, Chair of the Boston Committee and great niece of Mary Breckinridge hosted a luncheon at the Dan’l Webster Inn in Sandwich, Ma. Once again, Couriers, alumni, and friends gathered to hear the latest updates from Dr. Susan Stone and share their memories of Frontier and current endeavors. Dr. Julie Paul, Frontier alumnus and nursemidwife at South Shore Hospital, informed the group of the dramatic difference the midwives in her group are making for the women in the area. Thank you all for taking time to gather in support of Frontier Nursing University!
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New York City Luncheon gathers students, alumni, and honored guests In conjunction with the Jonas Awards luncheon, Frontier hosted our annual gathering at the NYC Cosmopolitan Club. Thank you to Ruth Lubic for graciously sponsoring this annual event. Many students attended and stayed for a regional Case Day, hosted by Martha Harvey, Regional Clinical Faculty. We enjoyed networking and joining together Frontier Couriers, supporters, alumni, and students during this annual event.
Alumni, students, and supporters gather for the annual NYC Committee luncheon
Martha Harvey, Regional Clinical Faculty, hosted a Case Day for NYC students following the luncheon
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NOTES The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) announced that five new Minority Nurse Faculty Scholars have been selected through a national scholarship program funded by the Johnson & Johnson Campaign for Nursing’s Future. Launched to address the faculty shortage and enhance diversity among nurse educators, this AACN-administered program provides generous financial support, mentoring, and leadership development to graduate students from minority backgrounds who aspire to teach in our nation’s schools of nursing. We are proud to report that Mimi Niles, CNEP 52 was chosen as one of the five selected. Dr. Jennifer Hackwith, DNP Class 05 is the new coordinator of Idaho State University’s accelerated nursing program, which allows students to earn a second bachelor’s degree in an intensive 12-month program. She will be based on the ISU-Meridian campus. Robin Etter, CNEP 121 joined the obstetrician/gynecologist (OB/GYN) provider team of Dr. Elizabeth Jones, Dr. Lane Meyer, and Certified Family Nurse Practitioner Amy Tuthill. Etter will be seeing patients at Fairview Mesaba Clinics in Hibbing, Mountain Iron, and Nashwauk, Minnesota. She will be delivering babies in the Women’s Health & Birth Center at Fairview Range Medical Center in Hibbing. Kyla Collett, daughter of Senior Admissions Officer, Chasity Collett, dressed as Mary Breckinridge for her school’s living wax museum. Elaine Fields, FNP Class 127 began her own practice, Three Rivers Women’s and Family Care in Louisa, Kentucky.
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In November, Dr. Diana Jolles and Dr. Victoria Baker presented during the American Public Health Association meeting in Denver, Colorado. Dr. Diana Jolles presented: “Birth Center Model of Care and Childbearing Medicaid Beneficiaries: Preventing unwarranted variations in care” and Dr. Victoria Baker presented a poster titled: “Focusing on Social Justice to Teach Ethics in Health Policy Courses.” On September 29, FNU once again hosted the annual Mary Breckinridge pageant in celebration of Mary Breckinridge Festival in Hyden. This year’s queen was Madison Little, first runner-up Ashley Standafer, best dressed Madison Little, Miss Congeniality Makayla Caudill, most photogenic Kameron Turner, and crowd favorite Ashley Standafer. Congratulations, ladies!
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wendover report Michael Claussen, Development Officer
Groups and special guests visit the historic headquarters
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he last few months have brought several groups to Wendover. Students and faculty from Indiana Wesleyan University and Wabash College enjoyed time at the Big House. Our bed and breakfast inn also hosted retreats for the Appalachian Ministries Educational Resource Center (AMERC) and Friends for Environmental Justice. We are excited to see an increased interest in hosting retreats, as this is one way to showcase our treasure in the mountains
top: Dr. Susan Stone and Heidi Thomas; bottom: Jean Fee
In December we were honored to welcome, Heidi Thomas, creator of Call the Midwife, Annie Tricklebank, producer for Call the Midwife and Julie Pastor, Director of Development for Neal Street Productions. This group visited Frontier Nursing University and Wendover to research the wonderful legacy of Mrs. Mary Breckinridge and the rich heritage of the Frontier Nursing Service. Among the many activities of the week were introductions to Tennessee Walkers. We enjoyed horseback rides through the field at Wendover just as many have done throughout the years. FNU Alumna, Jean Fee joined us for this special event as well.
FNU Celebrates Longstanding Holiday Tradition at the Big House Frontier Nursing University (FNU) proudly hosted the annual Holiday Open House - at the Wendover Big House, the historic log home of FNU founder Mrs. Mary Breckinridge. The local community was invited, and many current and former families of Leslie County, Ky., attended the joyous celebration. Guests enjoyed homemade cookies and Wendover's very own signature hot chocolate. Drama students from Leslie County High School conducted tours of the Big House in character of Frontier Nursing Service Staff from 1925.
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Kiersten White, FNU VISTA Volunteer featured a Healthy Foods activity as her first quarterly event in line with her Americorps VISTA service. She created handouts for parents with Healthy Holiday tips and advice for picky eaters. She also worked hands-on with many children who attended the party, talking about their favorite foods and food groups to promote healthy lifestyles. Santa Claus was also on hand to give gifts to the children. The toys were purchased using Christmas and Children's Fund donations given by FNU friends. The remaining toys were donated to the Leslie County School District Resource Center to be given away to area families. The Fund was also used to purchase twenty hams for the Leslie County Food Pantry.
With sixteen guest rooms, Wendover is the perfect location to hold your next conference or retreat. Our meals, ranging from our hearty country breakfast to our mouth-watering lunch and dinner entrees are sure to please! Learn more about our Inn at frontier.edu/wendover. Wendover Bed & Breakfast Inn is owned and operated by Frontier Nursing University. The Wendover Big House is designated as a National Historic Landmark.
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footprints Here is an interesting look of the Hyden area in 1967 from a former Courier, the late Nancy Dammann, upon her return twenty years later. This excerpt is taken from the Winter 1967 Quarterly Bulletin.
FNS REVISITED By, OLD COURIER NANCY DAMMANN Returning to the Frontier Nursing Service after a twenty year absence is a strange and exciting experience for an ex-courier. There have been so many changes, mostly for the good, that one scarcely knows the area. Hyden, with its bank, beauty parlor, restaurant, florist and gift shops, is almost unrecognizable, as are the black topped roads approaching the town. It seemed almost unbelievable to cross the Middle Fork enroute to Wendover over a cement bridge. I confess to missing bumping through the ford and the faintly sadistic pleasure we couriers used to acquire from frightening our big city guests as we stalled our jeep engines in the middle of the river. However, there is much about the FNS which proved delightfully familiar. There is the same warm hospitality and the same devotion to the job. Wendover looks almost the same as it did twenty years ago. The horses, cows, pig, chickens and geese are still there. And there are the same complicated rules about which dogs can come to tea and which are permitted outside at which hours. One of the most dramatic changes has been the improvement in communications. Jeep roads now go up most of the creeks the nurses formerly traveled on horseback. Many of the mountain families have telephones and some own television sets. Although the typical old log cabins are still in evidence, many have been remodeled and modern homes are appearing in the area. The visitor is also struck by the vastly improved educational system. Most of the one room schools found at the heads of Hurricane, Leatherwood and other creeks have been replaced by consolidated schools.
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tributes The following people gave contributions to Frontier in memory of their friends or loved ones. The names in bold are the deceased. Harriette Sherman Barnes Mary Ann Barnes Carolyn Coleman Anne Swanson Nivia Nieves Fisch Edith Anderson Lynne Herdrich Floyd Herdrich Jane H Hope Bruce Haldeman Mary Ellen Houston John & Sally McDougall D.J. Snell Howald Edith Anderson Joyce Wiechmann
Kate Ireland Kitty Ernst Willian Leach
Ceil Oseasohn Sylvia Duby
Ronald Kemble James Rockar
Jane Leigh Powell Charles Cheston Robert & Lee Phipps
Marion Drew Leach William Leach
Judy and Newt Stammer Suzanna Stammer
Gertrude & Ed Longstreth Linda & Steve Longstreth
Larry Stone Susan Stone
Ruth & Ernie Longstreth Linda & Steve Longstreth
Dr. Anne Wasson Bradley Gascoigne
Frances Luckett The Shell Procurement Team
Ruth Longfellow Wright Marilyn Wright
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The following people gave contributions to Frontier in honor of their friends or loved ones. The names in bold are the honorees. Carlyle Carter Joseph Coleman Carter
Peggy Foiles Linda and Steve Longstreth
Betty Leggett Jeff Feltner
Michael Claussen Barbara Criss Gunton
FNU Staff Linda Roach
Martha Copeland Peggy Rice
Beverly and Bill Friel Linda and Steve Longstreth
Kathleen Lewis Jeff Feltner Elizabeth Leggett
Beulah Couch Daniel Eldridge
Alice Hendrickson Mary Francillon
Kitty Ernst Evalyn Elias Richard Geyer
Barb Gibson Daniel Eldridge
Faye Feltner Jeff Feltner
Susan Graham & Jon Kucera Annie Hurwitz
Jean Feltner Jeff Feltner
Elizabeth Kenan The Elhapa Foundation
Jeff Feltner Wanda Feltner Elizabeth Leggett
Patsy Lawrence Elise Wallace Molly Lee Barbara Criss Gunton
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Elizabeth Longstreth & Adam French Bill and Beverly Friel Linda & Steve Longstreth Bill and Beverly Friel Sarah Longstreth & Tom Culbertson Bill and Beverly Friel Claire Stengel Robert Elder Bob and Peggy Trocin Linda and Steve Longstreth Marilyn Wright Linda and Steve Longstreth
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in memoriam Dorothy Jane "Dee" Howald, age 75, of Asheville died Tuesday, December 20, 2016.
Dee was born in Brooklyn, NY on May 4, 1941 and was reared in upstate New York. She was a graduate of The University of Rochester School of Nursing and obtained a master's degree from Western Carolina University. A member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, she was a descendent of George Washington and Daniel Boone. Dee was one of the pioneering members of the Frontier Nursing Service, riding on horseback to deliver babies in the most rural regions of Appalachia. As a certified nurse midwife with a private O.B. practice in Asheville, she delivered over 600 babies in her lifetime. In the latter half of her career she was a marriage and family counselor, with a private counseling practice and also working at Ben Lippen School as a counselor. Dee loved to garden, loved her dogs and was an avid seamstress and knitter. She loved to travel, particularly cruising. She was the daughter of the late Rev. Clyde Snell and Irene Reeder Snell. Surviving are her husband of 47 years, Dr. Tom Howald; daughters, Laura Jane and her husband Robert Hylton; Rachel Howald and her wife Jennifer, their sons, Callum and William; son, Charles "Chuck" Howald and his wife Angie, their sons, Thomas, Vincent and Charlie. Our hearts go out in sympathy to the family of Robert and Patricia Lawrence who lost their beloved son, George Webb Lawrence on December 10, 2016. Frances Matton Williams Luckett, Frances “Pani� Luckett died Sunday, January 29, 2017, at the Episcopal Church Home in Louisville. The daughter of Florence Jeffreys Matton and W. George Matton, Sr., she was born November 29, 1923 in Monterrey, Mexico. The Matton family moved to Louisville in 1932 where Pani enrolled and graduated from Louisville Collegiate School as well as Sweet Briar College. Following her college graduation, she married Dr. Hugh Williams. Shortly thereafter, they relocated to Carrollton, KY where he started his surgical practice. They returned to Louisville in 1974.
Pani was an accomplished pianist and was fluent in Spanish and French. She was a member of St. Luke's Chapel at ECH, was very involved in the Crescent Hill Ministries and was a long-time member of the Louisville Orchestra and the Speed Museum. She was a former member of St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Louisville Country Club and the Pendennis Club. Survivors include her daughter Susan Treitz (John), her son, Charles J. Williams (Mary); grandchildren Jesse LeBus (Meredith), Morgan LeBus, Jeffrey Treitz, Anna Williams, Ella
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Williams; great grandchildren Rowan and Martha; sister-in-law Kay Matton, and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her sons Hugh C. Williams, Jr., Hugh Morgan Williams; husband, Hugh C. Williams, second husband, T.D. Luckett, with whom she traveled the globe, and her brothers, W. George Matton, Jr., and David J. Matton. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Crescent Hill Ministries, 150 State Street, Louisville, KY 40206, Frontier Nursing Service, 195 School Street, Hyden, KY 41749 or St. Luke's Chapel, 7504 Westport Road, Louisville, KY 40222. Dolores Mae Oparil Jones, 85, died December 28 at the Memory Care Unit of the Courtyard at Mt. Tabor retirement community in Portland after a long struggle with Alzheimer's. Dolores was born in 1931 in Berwyn, Illinois, the only child of immigrant parents John and Mary Oparil, who immigrated to the US as young children early in the 20th century from what became known as Czechoslovakia. She grew up in Westmont, Illinois, and graduated High School in Downers Grove, Illinois, in 1949. Dolores attended the University of Colorado in Boulder, receiving a B.A. degree in English literature. There she met and in l954 married Donald Lloid Jones of Denver. They lived in Albuquerque, New Mexico, while Donald was in the US Army, where their first son, Donald Lloid, Jr. was born, then in Boulder, where their second son, Bradford William, was born. The family relocated to Salem, Oregon, where their sons grew up, and Donald Sr. and Dolores relocated to Washington, DC in 1979. Dolores and Donald separated in 1995, but remained friends and travelled together extensively in the US, Europe and the former Soviet Union. Dolores moved to Portland in 1998 to be near her granddaughter Emma and her family. She is survived by her husband, Donald of Washington, D.C., her sons Donald Jr. (Leslie) of Portland and Bradford (Mike) of Seattle, and her granddaughter Emma Rose Jones in Portland.The family suggests remembrances to Frontier Nursing University, REACH Community Development or Best Friends Animal Society. Dorothy Gilson Morris Mudd, died Thursday, December 1, 2016 in Washington, DC. Born on March 24, 1927 in London, England. Dorothy was a graduate of the Putney School of Vermont, Bennington College, and the New York University School of Law. She served proudly as an attorney for the General Services Administration prior to her retirement. She was the beloved widow and co-adventurer of Leonard E. "Chip" Mudd, her dearest friend for more than 45 years. She is survived by numerous relatives and is remembered by friends around the world. Dorothy served as a Courier for the Frontier Nursing Service in 1947 and remained a generous supporter throughout her life.
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trustees Mrs. Tia Andrew, Hamilton Parish Ms. Sarah Bacon, Brooklyn, NY Mrs. Andrea Begley, KY Mrs. Heather Bernard, Hamilton, NY Gov. Steven Beshear, Lexington, KY Mrs. Betty Brown, Louisville, KY Dr. Timothy Bukowski, NC Dr. Wallace Campbell, Berea, KY Miss Anna Carey, Hyden, KY Ms. Carlyle Carter, Evanston, IL Mrs. Jean Chapin, Oldwick, NJ Dr. Holly Cheever, Voorheesville, NY Mrs. Lois Cheston, Topsfield, MA Mrs. Julia Breckinridge Davis, NC Mrs. John Dete, West Liberty, OH Mrs. Selby Ehrlich, Bedford, NY Mrs. Robert Estill, Raleigh, NC Mrs. Angela Feltner, KY Mrs. Noel Smith Fernandez, NY Mr. John Grandin, MA Dr. Joyce Fortney Hamberg, Southgate, KY Dr. Horace Henriques, Lyme, NH Mr. & Mrs. John Hodge, Berwyn, PA Mrs. Robin Frentz Isaacs, Lincoln, MA Mrs. Mary Carol Joseph, Mayor, City of Hyden
Ms. Deborah M. King, Dedham, MA Mrs. Patricia Lawrence, Westwood, MA Mrs. Henry Ledford, Big Creek, KY Mrs. Marian Leibold, Cincinnati, OH Mrs. Joan Lambert McPhee, Potomac, MD Mr. Wade Mountz, Louisville, KY Mrs. Barbara Napier, KY Dr. Spencer Noe, Lexington, KY Mrs. Frank O’Brien, Boston, MA Mr. Dean Osborne, Hyden, KY Mrs. Helen Rentch, Midway, KY Mrs. John Richardson, DC Mrs. Linda Roach, Lexington, KY Mrs. Georgia Rodes, Lexington, KY Mrs. Sandra Schreiber, Louisville, KY Mrs. Sherri Rice Smith, WI Mrs. Austin Smithers, Lyme, NH Mrs. Robert Steck, Arlington, MA Mrs. Mary Clay Stites, Louisville, KY Mr. Richard Sturgill, Paris, KY Ms. Mary Frazier Vaughan, Lexington, KY Mrs. LouAnne Roberts Verrier, New York, NY Dr. Patience White, Bethesda, MD Mr. Harvie Wilkinson, KY
The Frontier Trustees convened for the annual meeting on October 27 at Wendover. Thank you to all who attended to offer feedback and guidance on the strategic goals and activities of FNU. Welcome Dr. Timothy Bukowski of Chapel Hill, North Carolina to the Frontier Trustees! Dr. Bukowski is a nephew of Brenda Doyle, featured in “Your Gifts at Work” and is a Clinical Professor and physician with University of North Carolina School of Medicine.
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Frontier Trustees gather for the annual October meeting in Hyden, Ky
Frontier Nursing University Susan Stone, DNSc, CNM, FAAN, FACNM, President
Shelley Aldridge, BA, Chief Operations Officer
Julie Marfell, DNP, FNP-BC, FAANP, Dean of Nursing
Denise Barrett, MBA, Director of Development and Alumni Relations
Anne Cockerham, PhD, CNM, WHNP, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs
Angela Bailey, MA, Associate Director of Development
Tonya Nicholson, DNP, CNM, WHNP-BC, CNE, Associate Dean of Midwifery and Women’s Health
Mandy Hancock, MPH, Development Officer and Courier Program Coordinator
Lisa Chappell, DNP, FNP-BC Associate Dean of Family Nursing
Michael Claussen, BA, Development Officer
Jacquelyne Brooks, DNP, MS, ADN-MSN Bridge Director
Beulah Couch, Human Resources/Site Manager
Michael Steinmetz, CPA, CMA, Vice President of Finance
Barb Gibson, Facilities Manager
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board of directors Chairman Michael Carter, FNP, DNSc Vice Chairman Michael T. Rust, Louisville, KY Secretary Wallace Campbell, PhD, Berea, KY Treasurer John Foley, Lexington, KY Board Members Peter Coffin, Chair, Frontier Nursing Service, Inc. Foundation Chestnut Hill, MA Eunice (Kitty) Ernst, CNM, MPH, Perkiomenville, PA Della Deerfield, CPA, Richmond, KY Nancy Hines, Shepherdsville, KY Jean Johnson, PhD, RN, FAAN, Cabin John, MD Phyllis Leppert, MD, PhD, Durham, NC Robert Montague, JD, Urbanna, VA Kerri Schuiling, PhD, CNM, FAAN, FACNM, Marquette, MI Peter A. Schwartz, MD, Wyomissing, PA Kenneth J. Tuggle, JD, Louisville, KY Nancy Fugate Woods, PhD, RN, FAAN, Seattle, WA May Wykle, PhD, Cleveland, OH Board Member Emeritus Marion McCartney, CNM, FACNM, Washington, D.C.
Pictured l to r: Ken Tuggle, Wallace Campbell, Marion McCartney, Della Deerfield, Phyllis Leppert, Jean Johnson, Nancy Fugate-Woods, Michael Carter, and Peter Schwartz Not pictured: Michael Rust, John Foley, Kitty Ernst, Nancy Hines, Kerri Schuiling, May Wykle, and Robert Montague
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your gifts at work
Bukowski/Doyle Family establish the M. Brenda Doyle Endowed Scholarship
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n honor of her life and work, the M. Brenda Doyle Endowed Scholarship has been created by her family to provide funding for students pursuing a Master of Science in Nursing or a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree in nurse-midwifery at Frontier Nursing University who shows preference for living and working in the NYC area or in the Caribbean. We are honored to establish the M. Brenda Doyle Scholarship at Frontier Nursing University to honor and memorialize this extraordinary nurse-midwife. Countless Frontier nurse-midwifery students will benefit from this generous support, and continue the legacy and important work modeled by Brenda’s exemplary life! M. Brenda Doyle (August 20, 1926 - March 14, 2015) M. Brenda Doyle, beloved aunt and great-aunt, died peacefully on March 14, 2015, with several nieces and nephews by her side, surrounding her in prayer and Irish music. Brenda was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on August 20, 1926, baptized Mary Ellen Doyle at St. John's Church in Stamford, Connecticut. Years later, she officially changed her name to M. Brenda Doyle, taking the name she had chosen as a young girl for Confirmation. Ms. Doyle was graduated from The Convent of the Sacred Heart, New York in 1944, and Manhattanville College of the Sacred Heart (BS, Nursing) in 1948. In addition to being licensed by the State of New York, she received an RN by the General Nursing Council of England and Wales in January, 1953. She trained at the Frontier Graduate School of Midwifery, Kentucky in 1955, and received a Master’s in Nursing at Columbia University, NY, in 1959. Brenda was not to be constrained by the conventional path of her time of marriage, home, and family. From 1949-54, she worked in Costa Rica for the United Fruit Company, in the maternity ward of the regional hospital, then as ship’s nurse in the Dominican Republic. Her training at the Frontier School to become a licensed nurse-midwife required her to travel by horseback to the rural mountain communities in Kentucky, attending to expectant mothers, who would tell the children that the newborn baby had arrived in the nurse’s saddlebag! After several years back in New York City, delivering babies at Lenox Hill Hospital while working towards her
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FRONTIER NURSING UNIVERSITY Masters of Nursing degree, Brenda was off again, working as a nurse-midwife in Eritrea, East Africa, and then in Haiti. Brenda spent the remainder of her career in NYC, first at Rockefeller Hospital and subsequently Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx, where she delivered over 1,000 babies. In June, 1973, she was profiled in the New York Times and in Women’s Day Magazine for her work as a nurse-midwife, and her philosophy of midwifery, which was sometimes counter to the prevailing practices at the time. She encouraged women to walk around during labor, instead of being “confined to bed,” and to deliver in a sitting position, and thought the husband should be present to support his wife throughout the delivery process. She stated concerns with the overuse of sedating pain medications, observing that women were sometimes not arousable for days after delivery. Ms. Doyle retired from her nurse-midwife career in 1980. During her life, Brenda traveled extensively throughout Africa, South America, the Caribbean, and Europe, and collected art pieces that fancied her creative mind. She enjoyed visiting her brothers and sisters and their families, always providing an exciting example of an independent and spirited life, especially to the younger generation. Yet she was a true New Yorker, praying to St. Anthony to find her a parking spot when she drove into Manhattan, and always having a couple of dollar bills in her pocket to give to anyone in need. In her retirement years she took great delight in unearthing treasures at second hand shops, cultivating the garden in the common area of her apartment building, and working the New York Times Sunday crossword puzzle. She corresponded via letter with many of her extended family, sharing her thoughts and observations on current events, the Church hierarchy, and New York. A letter from Brenda included news on a wide range of topics, novel ideas and suggestions, advice on health, and her pithy political and social commentary. For over 50 years, Brenda lived in the Spuyten Duyvil neighborhood of the Bronx in a studio apartment overlooking the Hudson. She showed visiting nieces and nephews the best of the City, including the St Patrick's Day parade. From June, 2012, she lived at the Schervier Nursing Care Center, just a short walk from her former apartment building. Brenda was predeceased by her parents, two sisters, five brothers and their wives, and a niece. She is survived and remembered with love and affection by one brother-in-law and 30 nieces and nephews and their families.
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Ways to Give: A Lasting Investment Your investment in Frontier Nursing University is an investment in quality healthcare for all. There are many ways you can support FNU. Gifts ranging from donations for operations to trust instruments to testamentary gifts each provide much needed support for our work. Some of the more common methods are: • A nnual Fund Donations: Gifts may be made by check or credit card and can support the general operations of FNU, or be restricted to particular programs. You can use the enclosed remittance envelope or make a gift online at www.frontier.edu/ online-giving. • S tock Gifts: You can donate your appreciated stock directly to FNU. Please call the Office of Development for instructions. • C haritable Remainder Trusts: These gift instruments allow you and/or your loved ones to benefit from monies placed in the trust during your/their lifetime. Upon the death of the named beneficiary, the remaining balance in the trust is transferred to FNU. • P erpetual Income Trusts: These gift instruments allow the income from monies you place in trust to benefit FNU in perpetuity. The principal of your gift remains intact for the life of the trust, and the income it generates is transferred periodically to FNU. • Life Insurance: You can name FNU as the beneficiary of your life insurance policy, or transfer ownership of the policy directly to FNU. • Charitable Gift Annuity: You can give a one-time gift to FNU in exchange for fixed, recurring payments over the balance of your life. Upon your death, the balance of your original gift is maintained by FNU for its general use. • Testamentary Gifts: You may make provision in your will to provide a specific bequest to FNU, or provide for some or all of your remaining estate to be given to FNU upon your death. Each of these gift avenues has specific tax implications. Please contact your attorney or financial advisor for further information. For additional information on making a gift to FNU, please call 859-899-2828 or email Denise Barrett, Director of Development at denise.barrett@frontier.edu.
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FRONTIER NURSING SERVICE, Inc. Its motto: “He shall gather the lambs with his arm and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.� Isaiah 40:11 Its object: To safeguard the lives and health of mothers and children by providing and preparing trained nurse-midwives and nurse practitioners for rural areas where there is inadequate medical service; to give skilled care to women in childbirth; to give nursing care to the sick of both sexes and all ages; to establish, own, maintain and operate hospitals, clinics, nursing centers, and educational programs for nurse-midwives and nursepractitioners; to carry out preventive public health measures; to educate the rural population in the laws of health, and parents in baby hygiene and child care; to provide expert social service; to obtain medical, dental and surgical services for those who need them, at a price they can afford to pay; to promote the general welfare of the elderly and handicapped; to ameliorate economic conditions inimical to health and growth, and to conduct research toward that end; to do any and all other things in any way incident to, or connected with, these objects, and, in pursuit of them to cooperate with individuals and with organizations, private, state or federal; and through the fulfillment of these aims to advance the cause of health, social welfare and economic independence in rural districts with the help of their own leading citizens.
From the Articles of Incorporation
of the Frontier Nursing Service. Article III as amended April 1999
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