PA College Magazine - Winter 2021 - 13

EVENTS &
ALUMNI NEWS

HONORED FOR
THEIR SERVICE
ceremonies that comply with COVID-19 restrictions to honor
the nurses that have passed away.  

(Left to right): Stephanie Pritchard, RN, BSN, BC-CV; Sandy Wisler '70, RN, CRRN;
Catherine Chilcoat, RN, MBA; Lisa Toomey, RN; Joni Sweigart '82, CRNP, MSN

A local group of active and retired nurses has formed the
Lancaster County Nurses Honor Guard Association to pay
respect to their fellow nurses who have passed away. It is the
first of its kind in Pennsylvania.  
Joni Sweigart '82, MSN, CRNP, pitched
CRNP
the idea on
Facebook, her friend commented, and they began to meet.
" Nurses dedicate their lives to the profession. It's only fitting
that they be honored for that service, " Sweigart says.  
The Honor Guard held its first public meeting in May
2019 and members were soon in contact with local funeral
directors who informed family members about what the honor
guard could provide them. By October 2019, members began
deploying to memorial services all over Lancaster County, at
the invitations of families. When the pandemic hit in March,
the group pivoted - offering graveside, socially distanced 

In the past year, the Honor Guard has performed the
Nightingale Tribute at more than 40 services for Lancaster
County nurses. The tribute includes the reading of the poem,
" She was There, " and placing a white rose on the casket or urn.
It ends with three chimes before members join in reading a
final call for the nurse: " We officially retire you from your
nursing duties, and we thank you for your service. "  
Kimberly
One of the tributes performed in 2020 was for Kimberly
Callahan '88, '17, MSN, RN, NE-BC,
NE-BC a respected member of
the Lancaster nursing community and the Magnet Program
Manager for Penn Medicine Lancaster General Hospital.
Honor guard members close to Callahan donned the signature
cape, cap and white uniform as they laid her to rest. Rosemary 
Search says, " I was honored to be one of the nurses at Kim's
service. She was such a wonderful person and a true example
of what nursing is all about. "  
Currently the group has over 40 active members, including 
a number of PA College alumni, and is welcoming anyone
in Lancaster County who is or has been a registered nurse,
licensed practical nurse or certified nurse practitioner. All
tributes are free. The group is only available to serve
Lancaster County. To request a tribute from the honor
guard or for more information regarding membership, visit
LancasterCountyNurseHonorGuard.org. n
LancasterCountyNurseHonorGuard.org

Connecting on Zoom 
In the wake of COVID-19, numerous alumni events had to be cancelled or
postponed indefinitely in 2020. This includes Career Connections Dinners,
which allowed students to meet with alumni to practice networking, ask
questions about their day-to-day routines and meet insiders in their field.
Alumni would get to share their expertise, meet the next generation of
their colleagues and pass on the advice they wished they had received.
Thankfully, alumni and students were willing to pivot as we transitioned
the dinners to Zoom events. Going virtual has allowed more alumni from
farther away the opportunity to interact with students. Recordings of these
events are also available for students to watch at their convenience. Virtual
Career Connections events scheduled for the Spring 2021 semester include: 
Lifelong Learning: Wednesday, March 10, 2021 | 6-7 p.m. 
Nurse Anesthetists: Tuesday, April 6, 2021 | 6-7 p.m. 
We always welcome alumni experts for these events. Interested in learning
more or signing up? Contact Director of Alumni Engagement, Samantha
Hawkins, at sahawkins@PAcollege.edu. 

How About Some 
Good News? 
The Alumni Engagement Office is happy to
announce the launch of the Alumni News &
Notes page on our website. Alumni can
submit personal or professional updates
and keep up with their classmates. Have
something you'd like to share? A new job?
A baby or wedding? Email alumni
alumni@
@
PAcollege.edu or call Samantha Hawkins,
Director of Alumni Engagement, at (717)
947-6129, with your news. Please include
your full name, degrees and credentials in
your email.
Curious to see what your classmates have
been up to? 
Visit www.PAcollege.edu/alumni-news

PA College / Winter 2021

13
http://www.LancasterCountyNurseHonorGuard.org http://www.PAcollege.edu/alumni-news
PA College Magazine - Winter 2021

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