Eau Claire Student Nurses Association: A legacy of giving in Marshfield

Marshfield ECSNA has long been a beacon of compassion and community support. Despite the demanding schedule of full-time nursing students, members have tirelessly worked to raise funds and give back to local organizations. Through their efforts, they’ve made a difference in countless lives by hosting free health screening and immunization clinics, food drives and guest speaker events that spotlight healthcare careers.

The group’s generosity has touched diverse areas of the community. It has sponsored dinners at the Ronald McDonald House, hosted teddy bear clinics for elementary students, adopted a highway, and crafted blankets and greeting cards for assisted living and clinic patients. Volunteers also have played a key role in events like the Rotary Winter Wonderland. Beyond these highlights, the Marshfield ECSNA has been involved in countless other events and fundraisers that have supported local families, fostered community connections and helped the students grow into compassionate healthcare professionals.

Since the announcement of the Marshfield site’s closure last spring, Marshfield’s ECSNA has been carefully deciding how to allocate funds raised over the years. In the spirit of giving, the group recently fulfilled wish lists for three Marshfield charities — Mary’s Place, Shirley’s House of Hope and the Orenda Center — purchasing over $1,500 worth of essential items such as toiletries, cleaning supplies and linens, plus some fun gifts for children who also are supported by these organizations.

Mary’s Place offers transitional housing services for individuals reestablishing themselves in the community, while Shirley’s House of Hope provides emergency shelter for women and children in need. The Orenda Center supports individuals and families in crisis through advocacy and education. These donations reflect ECSNA’s commitment to keeping their impact rooted in the Marshfield community.

This semester’s Marshfield ECSNA participants played an integral role in this initiative, and their efforts deserve special recognition. Members included Cianna Gemignani, Emma Panasuk, Bailey Matis, Megan Farley, Brianna Brandner, Elizabeth Patrick, Emma Dieckman, Erin Young, Sarah Martin, Shawna Moen, Kaitlyn Kettler, Lydia Emery, Stephanie Kinzel, Beth Wittman and Camryn Fisher. Their dedication to service and their community exemplifies the values at the heart of nursing.

A couple of nursing students described their recent shopping trip as their most rewarding experience with ECSNA, saying, “Being able to give back to the local community in a profound way and learn in-depth about these organizations was a great experience. Learning to be a community member and a nurse simultaneously is a rewarding process.”

As the Marshfield ECSNA enters its final year, its members will continue their philanthropic work on a smaller scale while balancing the rigorous demands of nursing school. Their dedication to both their studies and their community is a testament to the values of care, compassion and resilience that define the nursing profession.

The legacy of ECSNA will endure in Marshfield through the lives it has touched and the organizations it has supported — a fitting tribute to the spirit of service at the heart of nursing.

Written by Kaylan Petrie, administrative coordinator, UW-Eau Claire College of Nursing, Marshfield site.