Unity CNA To Be Awarded $10,000 Florence Kowalkowski RN Scholarship
Green Bay, Wis. – On Tuesday, March 21, 2023, Unity, Northeast Wisconsin’s nonprofit leader in hospice care, supportive care, nonmedical home care and grief support, will present the $10,000 Red-D-Mix Concrete Inc. Sponsorship of the Florence Kowalkowski RN Scholarship to Megan Scoon, Unity Certified Nursing Assistant. Media is invited to attend the event which will take place at Unity Grief and Education Center, 2079 Lawrence Drive, Suite B, De Pere, WI, 54115. The presentation will begin promptly at 3:15 pm followed by a social gathering including light refreshments.
Scoon, a resident of Sturgeon Bay, WI, joined Unity as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) in July 2021. Prior to her employment with Unity, she served in housekeeping at Golden Living -Dorchester where she quickly discovered her passion for interacting with residents. Coworkers who recognized her kind heart and how good she was with residents, along with her mom, encouraged her to complete the CNA training program. Scoon states “I am sincerely honored and grateful for this scholarship which is providing me the finances to follow my dreams! This is life changing. I wouldn’t be able to pursue a degree in nursing and become a registered nurse without it. I have an amazing support system throughout my Unity family and personal family. This is a new journey everyone is on with me and I know I can do it right for myself, Unity, and Florence.”
Megan Scoon, Unity Certified Nursing Assistant
For Florence Kowalkowski, the discipline of nursing offered something more profound than a vocation; it fulfilled a life-long spiritual calling. Florence graduated from St. Mary’s School of Nursing in 1949 and, through nursing, positively impacted many lives. In addition to her work in hospitals and clinics, she devoted herself to in-home care for terminally ill friends and neighbors, even before the advent of hospice. After retiring, Florence continued to embody the spirit of nursing by volunteering for Unity. Due to the financial challenges Florence faced while pursuing her nursing degree, and the compassionate care she received from Unity’s dedicated caregivers during her final months of life, her family created the Florence Kowalkowski RN scholarship to help provide financial assistance to a Unity employee pursuing a career of service through nursing.
Scoon will pursue her nursing degree from Northeast Wisconsin Technical Collage in Sturgeon Bay beginning this fall.
In Memorium of Florence Kowalkowski (April 12, 1927- May 27, 2020)
Florence Kowalkowski raised four children with her husband, Frank. She was honored as a Press Gazette “Everyday Hero” and was named Mother of the Year by the Assumption B.V.M. Council of Catholic Women. Florence inspired those around her, including her children and grandchildren, with her positivity, work ethic and good humor.
About Unity
Unity is a nonprofit provider of hospice care, supportive care, nonmedical home care and grief support across 13 counties throughout Northeast Wisconsin. A continuation of Bellin Hospice, Wisconsin’s first hospice program and the nation’s third, Unity is a partnership of Bellin Health, HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital Medical Center and HSHS St. Vincent Hospital. A true pioneer in caring for those coping with serious illness and end-of-life, Unity continues to lead the industry launching the state’s first palliative care program in 2002, the area’s first hospice residence in 2007, and the region’s only Grief and Education Center in 2021. As the only locally owned and operated nonprofit hospice agency in the region, Unity is the sole provider of inpatient hospice at seven area hospitals including Bellin Health, HSHS St. Mary’s Hospital Medical Center and HSHS St. Vincent Hospital. Unity’s partnerships with area skilled nursing facilities, assisted-living facilities and pharmacies ensure seamless care in all settings.
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