USU Eastern nursing students have always had the reputation of being excellent students and knowledgeable nurses. However, as of Nov. 20, they will be known as outstanding humanitarians.
On Nov. 20, students from the LPN and RN classes delivered 200 turkeys to the Carbon County Food Bank and 20 turkeys to the Emery County Food Bank.
“You cannot believe the relief we felt at the food bank when those students showed up,” stated food bank director Collette Freestone-Child. “We had a list of 65 people on a waiting list who needed turkeys for their Thanksgiving celebrations. We had no idea how we were going to provide those needy families with turkeys until today.”
“We are overwhelmed with the generosity of those students who stepped up to the plate and provided for the needy in this area,” she continued. “This is absolutely huge to the food bank. It is so nice to be able to call all those on our list and tell them to come and pick up their turkeys.”
“Appreciation of these students is an understatement,” Freestone-Child explained. “We are still amazed that between classes and jobs, they were able to raise the funds to purchase the turkeys for the local food banks.”
Price campus nursing director Nikkie King, said the students collected donations from the community plus donated themselves to purchase the 220 turkeys to donate to the food banks in Carbon and Emery counties.
“This is a result of them wanting to give back to the community and help with a community need,” explained King. “The students also took $1,800 from their club account to help with this.”
Trent Greenhalgh, president of the student nurses association, picked up turkeys from local grocers and delivered them to the Carbon County Food Bank. He was assisted by Shelby Bagley, secretary of the student nurses association, who picked up turkeys from Emery’s grocers and delivered them to Emery’s food bank.
“This is an awesome community service these students are providing,” King concluded.