REGION NEWS

New Jersey Nurse, Jan/Feb 2004

REGION 1

Elizabeth Burger, RN VP Communications

Region I Board Meetings for 2004-are open to all members. February 9th 6pm at Morris Hills Center, 77 Madison Ave, Morristown, NJ; April at the convention, and June 10th at Morris Hills.

Region I Annual Dinner-April 28th Save the date! Our annual dinner will be held at the Sheraton (Tara) in Parsippany. Scholarships to he awarded, guest speaker and further details to follow.

Message from the president: I hope everyone had a happy holiday season. Region I is looking forward to a very productive year, and I am hoping more members will participate in our events. I am making a plea to anyone who has fundraising experience, to offer their advice and guidance. We would like to pull together a run/walk in 2004 to raise money for the Institute. We are also trying to increase our visibility in the community. If there is a project that you think would be appropriate for Region I to participate in, let us know. Have a blessed New Year! Vivian Contreras NRVVCRN@aol.com

Member News-Anne Marie Kitchen, Region I Morris County Coordinator sponsored a Health Fair at St Ann's church in Parsippany on November 2nd. Sally Colatarci, VP of the Institute for Region I, has been reappointed to INPAC. Terri Bernaz, VP of education, has been busy promoting nursing careers. Terri recently gave a presentation at Union HS. She has put together a PowerPoint® presentation, which she would be happy to share with members who are interested. Perhaps you would like to visit your local school or scout troop, but do not know how to go about giving a talk. Terri has brochures and videos and can assist you in tailoring a presentation to your own situation. She also welcomes input from colleagues with suggestions. You can email Terri at theresa.bernaz@ahsys.org

Sad News: Beloved friend and colleague Marion Goodenough died November 18, 2003. Marion Goodenough was the Assistant Director of Nursing at Matheny School and Hospital. She was a nurse for over forty years. Ms. Goodenough received her BSN as part of the first nursing class of the University of Maine. After receiving a Masters Degree from Rutgers University, Ms. Goodenough educated nursing students. She later became Staff Development instructor at Somerset Hospital and then Vice President of Patient Care Services, a position she held for 22 years.

Marion came to Matheny in 1999. Highly regarded among the staff, she was an excellent nurse and administrator. Her life was filled with activity evolving around her career and her family and friends. She served as a Red Cross volunteer, participating in the 9/11 relief efforts in Jersey City. She also was the NJ State Nursing Coordinator for the Red Cross. She was a past board member for the NJSNA. She was also a member of INPAC for Region 1.

Marion liked to keep active by bicycling, skiing, golfing, and hiking. She is survived by her son Richard and daughter-in-law, Kim, son Randall, of Woodstock, Ga.; her parents Norman and Elizabeth Perkins of Patten, Maine; a sister, Linda Perkins of Glen Burn, Maine, two brothers, Kenneth Perkins of Patten, Maine, and George Perkins of Benton, Maine, and two grandchildren, Bryant and Turner. Marion will be greatly missed by her family, many friends, and colleagues.

NOMINATIONS: Wanted: a few nurses who remain turbo-charged to face the challenges of the upcoming year! Please consider sharing your talents and vision for nursing by accepting a nomination to one of Region I's following positions:

* Vice President to the Congress on Policy

* Vice President of Membership

* Vice President of Education

* Nominating Committee-2

* Warren County Coordinator

* Passaic County Coordinator

* INPAC representative

For further information or nominations, please contact Eileen Specchio (973) 290-4073 or email: especchio@ cse.edu, Ellen Ehrlich (973) 290-4072 or eehrlich@cse.edu, or Doris Mallette

Job descriptions:

Vice President to the Congress on Policy:

Serve as chairperson to the Legislative Committee; Develop and maintain a legislative network for Region I; Represent the Region on NJSNA's Congress on Policy.

Vice President of Membership:

Serve as chairperson to the Membership Committee; Represent Region I on the NJSNA Facilitating Council; Encourage new members' immediate participation in Region activities with assistance of County Coordinators.

Vice President of Education shall:

Oversee all regional activities related to education and research.

Nominating Committee:

Oversees all nominations and election activities.

County Coordinators shall:

Represent the county at Region I Board Meetings; Facilitate participation of NJSNA/Region I at community events; Provide information to the Board of Directors regarding county agencies, facilities, etc; Assist VP of Education in planning and implementing educational programs in the county; Encourage county members to attend all NJSNA Region I meetings and activities.

Scholarships: NJSNA Region I is continuing the tradition of offering 2 scholarships in the amount of $500 each. If you are continuing your education for bachelors, masters or doctorate and are a member of NJSNA, you are eligible. The purpose of the scholarship is to support our members in their nursing education. The application criteria include: quality of written goals and contributions or potential contributions to nursing. Applications must be submitted by: March 15th to be reviewed and recommended at the April 1st board meeting at the state convention. The scholarship will be awarded at the Annual dinner in April. Contact Eileen Specchio at 973-290-4073 or email @ especchio@aol.com for further information.