TD Bank Financial Group and The Health Foundation announced the recipients of the Spring Education Awards for 2015. Applications are considered twice each year and awards are given each spring and fall.
There were 8 successful applicants this fall and a total of $8,755 awarded.
Annually, The Health Foundation’s Scholarship Fund awards at least $24,000 a year to help further the training and education of healthcare staff in east central Saskatchewan. The TD Bank Financial Group contributes $12,000 annually to fund 50% of the awards.
For 15 consecutive years TD has partnered with The Health Foundation, making a very significant investment in local healthcare through this education program. This brings the total of TD Bank Financial Groups investment in this education program to $162,000.
“TD Bank Financial Group is committed to investing in the future of this region by helping to ensure that nurses and other caregivers have access to funds to upgrade their skills and further their education,” said Amie Evans, Small Business Advisor with TD Canada Trust. “We are pleased that TD Bank Financial Group is presenting four awards; all the awards will assist the individuals to improve their clinical skills or the knowledge they bring to their job working with patients.”
This education program has had great success since it started,” said Mrs. Evans. “We have helped nurses and therapists improve their education and clinical skills. This program has helped improve the quality of healthcare available in our local medical facilities.”
The recipients of TD Bank Financial Group’s scholarship awards are:
• Lorelee Davis, who is the facility manager for the Kamsack hospital, is taking the Practical Nursing Program;
• Shelly Watkins, who is a continuing care aid with Home Care in Foam Lake, is taking the four year RN program;
• Brenda Pacholka, who is the staff health nurse in the Regional Health Centre, is taking her Masters of Public Health; and,
• Nathan Beahm, is a pharmacist in the Yorkton Regional Health Centre and is taking his Doctorate of Pharmacy;
The recipients of The Health Foundation’s scholarship awards are:
• Kerry O’Donnell, works in Primary Healthcare and is a Disease Management Facilitator, is taking the final year of the program to become a Certified Respiratory Educator;
• Loretta Erhardt, who works in the Regional Health Centre in Infection Prevention & Control, is taking courses toward her Bachelor of Nursing degree;
• Britton Houdek, is a social worker with Mental Health and Addiction Services in Melville, who is taking her Designation as a Child and Play Therapist; and,
• Kendra Gibb, is a social worker with the Children’s Therapy program in Yorkton who is taking the Prevention Matters Workshop which examines the effects of stress/trauma on the brain development of children.
Since TD Bank Financial Group and The Health Foundation started this program in 2002, there have been 326 awards totaling $297,258. The Health Foundation normally grants up to $24,000 in educational awards, but if some awards are unused those funds are carried forward and made available in the next round of applications.
