Today kicks off National Nurses Week in the U.S. – on Dorothy’s birthday!
National Nurses Week begins each year on May 6th, Dorothy’s birthday and ends on May 12th, Florence Nightingale’s birthday, although we are skeptical the individuals that decided May 6 is the day it should begin were aware of who Dorothy Molter was. Today, we celebrate and call to attention everything nurses have endured during the past year.
The theme for this year’s Nurses Week is Frontline Warrior and it is very fitting. The 4 million+ nurses and LPNs in the U.S. and the many more across the globe persevered during the COVID-19 pandemic to care for the rest of us. We honor nurses all year long at the Dorothy Molter Museum but encourage you to offer special attention and thanks to nurses during this special week.
International Nurses Day – May 12, 2021
International Nurses Day is celebrated around the world every May 12, the anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth. International Council of Nurses (ICN) commemorates this important day each year with the production and distribution of the International Nurses’ Day resources and evidence. The theme for the 2021 resource is Nurses: A Voice to Lead – A vision for future healthcare (#IND2021) and this year, its goal is to show how nursing will look into the future as well how the profession will transform the next stage of healthcare.
Wilderness First Responder Scholarship Award
We are also proud to announce the recipient of our 2021 Wilderness First Responder’s Scholarship, Kate Batten of Ely, Minnesota! Our annual Wilderness First Responders Scholarship is awarded to residents of northeastern Minnesota pursuing a degree or continuing education in a medical field. The scholarship was established by the Dorothy Molter Museum to honor Dorothy Molter’s legacy of serving thousands of visitors who came to her for medical care during their wilderness trips in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
“We are proud to award Ms. Batten this year’s scholarship and value her contributions toward providing medical services in our community” said Executive Director, Jess Edberg. “Her work at the Ely Area Ambulance Service and Ely VA Clinic, as well as her volunteer work on northern Minnesota Team Rubicon is of great value to us all. Her desire to stay abreast of current wilderness rescue methods by attending the National Conference on Wilderness Medicine demonstrates her passion for helping others and embodies the spirit of Dorothy.”
Dorothy Molter was always concerned with the physical well-being of others and gave freely of her medical knowledge to all who came her way. To give back to the community that supported Dorothy, the Dorothy Molter Memorial Foundation (Dorothy Molter Museum) awards one scholarship per year up to $1,000.00 from the Wilderness First Responders’ Fund. This scholarship is funded by contributions made from staff, board, volunteers, members, supporters and guests of the Dorothy Molter Museum.
“I am active in the outdoors and have Advanced Wilderness Life Support certification. This conference will be incredibly useful in both refreshing what I already know and teaching me new skills and knowledge,” stated Ms. Batten. “Whether I am responding through an organization like the ambulance service or helping a group member on a personal trip, the skills and knowledge I will further develop will be invaluable.”
The Board and Staff at the Museum are incredibly proud and congratulate Ms. Batten on her award.
Scholarship applications are located at www.rootbeerlady.com and donations for this fund are accepted both online and at the Museum in Ely. The next scholarship cycle will be in spring 2022.