The CareFirst Carolina Foundation, in partnership with CareSouth Carolina (CSC) and Francis Marion University (FMU), hosted a fundraising event January 12, that raised $15,000.
That money will go toward providing two $1,000 scholarships to students earning a bachelor of science in nursing degree annually, and one full tuition scholarship, approximately $38,000, will be given to a student enrolled in the master of science in nursing-family nurse practitioner program at the University.
The event, held at the Francis Marion University Freshwater Ecology Center, was attended by around 80 people, according to Quinetta Buterbaugh, Event Chair and CareSouth Carolina and CareFirst Carolina Board Member.
“We raised approximately $15,000 through the event, cash donations, and an online auction,” she said.
“It was a pleasure to be able to help build this new partnership for the CareFirst Carolina Foundation, CareSouth and Francis Marion University School of Nursing,” said Mark Sobiski, Director of the CareFirst Carolina Foundation. “This event exceeded our expectations and we are so appreciative to First Bank for their lead sponsorship, as well as Duke Energy, East Coast Housing, Dr. Jeniqua Duncan and all of our auction item donors and bidders. This was our inaugural event for the scholarship fund and we can’t say ‘thank you’ enough.”
The scholarship was created to honor Brown, a CSC family nurse practitioner who tragically passed away in May.
“We feel that these scholarships will be the best way to keep Tim alive in our hearts and minds, while encouraging nursing students to work and practice healthcare in rural South Carolina,” Sobiski said.
CareSouth Carolina is a private, non-profit community health center delivering patient-centered health and life services in the Pee Dee region of South Carolina. CareSouth Carolina operates centers in Bennettsville, Bishopville, Cheraw, Chesterfield, Dillon, Hartsville, Lake View, Latta, McColl and Society Hill. Services provided by CareSouth Carolina include family practice, internal medicine, pediatrics, women services, OB/GYN, HIV/AIDS primary care, dental, chiropractic services, pharmacy, geriatrics, social services, clinical counseling, laboratory, diagnostic ultrasound imaging, X-Ray, migrant services and veteran’s choice provider.