July 26, 2012
Taking the occasion of their June 28 annual meeting, the St. Joseph-Breese Auxiliary presented a dozen healthcare career students with $1,000 grants-in-aid. Recipients included (from left) K. C. Ellen Root, Erica Niemeyer, Alyssa Faust, Kyle Brauer, Amy Essenpreis, Ian Timmermann, Emily Toennies, Lydia Heimann, Alyssa Hitpas, (not pictured) Alison Kalmer, Jennifer Knebel and Tina Schleper. Each grant was given in memory or honor of an Auxiliary member or friend. Funding is from the Auxiliary’s Lights for Scholarship campaign, donations, memorials and a benefit walk, this year Saturday, Sept. 8, at the hospital HealthPlex Fitness Track.
A dozen students with career goals including clinical psychology, nursing, pharmacy, physical therapy and radiology, will have an easier time pursuing their education thanks to the Auxiliary at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Breese.
Auxiliary members took the opportunity of their June 28 annual meeting at the Breese American Legion to present $1,000 grants-in-aid to 12 Clinton County residents who are pursuing a healthcare career. Each award was given in memory or honor of an Auxiliary member or friend.
The scholarship program was established in 1970 when the Auxiliary awarded one $500 grant-in-aid, said Judy Schrage, hospital Volunteer Services director whose department coordinates the organization. Nancy Renschen chairs the Auxiliary Scholarship Committee.
Including the $12,000 given this year, the organization has presented $158,000 to 304 students over the program’s 42-year history.
Funding is from the Auxiliary’s Lights for Scholarship campaign, donations and memorials. A walk to benefit the scholarship fund is planned for Saturday, Sept. 8, at the hospital’s HealthPlex Fitness Track.
Of the 12 grants presented, four went to students pursuing a career in nursing including:
- Alyssa Faust of Aviston who is attending Maryville University in St. Louis with a goal of becoming a neo-natal nurse practitioner, given in memory of Mary Henss; Breese residents Jennifer Knebel and Tina Marie Schleper, both students at the Goldfarb School of Nursing at Barnes-Jewish College in St. Louis who are pursuing Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degrees, given in memory of Florence Kruep and Ardel VanderPluym; and K. C. Ellen Root of Breese, who is pursuing a BSN degree at Chamberlain College of Nursing, given in memory of Ralph Wilke.
Three of the students are planning pharmacy careers including:
- University of Kentucky student Kyle James Brauer of Germantown, given in memory of Joanne Ritzheimer; Lydia R. Heimann of Breese, a Raabe College of Pharmacy student at Ohio Northern University in Ada, Ohio, given in memory of Mary Lou Steinkamp; and St. Louis College of Pharmacy student Alyssa Marie Hitpas of Germantown, given in memory of Johanna Haar.
While three others are going into physical therapy including:
- Amy Rae Essenpreis of Breese, who is attending Maryville University of St. Louis to become a physical therapist, given in memory of Josephine Kruse.
- Erica M. Niemeyer of Breese, a student at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale where she is studying to become a physical therapy assistant and nursing home manager, given in memory of Lu Orrell.
- Emily Marie Toennies of New Baden, who is pursuing a physical therapy degree from Washington University in St. Louis, given in memory of Florentine Ripperda.
Also receiving financial assistance were:
- Alison Renee Kalmer of New Baden, who is in radiology technology at Kaskaskia College, given in memory of Marilyn Adkins; and
- Ian Randal Timmermann of Breese who is pursuing a clinical psychology degree at Quincy College, given in memory of Irene Huelsmann.
Family and friends of the recipients and those remembered were on hand for the presentations.
Also during the meeting, officers were elected, committee and activity chairpersons announced, reports presented and attendance prizes awarded. This year’s theme was “Luck of the Draw” and several Auxiliary officers and members dressed in dealer’s vests and armbands.
For more information, contact 526-5351 or jschrage@sjb.hshs.org.
