On September 16th, Katherine Sordillo and Susanne deVillier from bankESB, delivered a check for $20,000 to Mercy Medical Center. This represents their first installment of a $100,000 pledge to the Sister Caritas Endowed Nursing Education Fund (SCENE). The inspiration for “SCENE” sprung forth from Sister Mary Caritas’s 100th birthday celebration 2 years ago at The Log Cabin in Holyoke.
Coinciding with the recent pandemic, the critical need for licensed, skilled nurses has been at historic levels and there isn’t a more prominent or impactful leader on that front than Sister Mary Caritas, a proud alumnus of the Mercy Nursing School, Class of 1945. Having served as hospital President and Board Chair, amongst other roles, Sister Caritas’s name is synonymous with Mercy.
To date, Mercy has received 180 gifts and pledges totaling $815,000 towards a goal of $1M to permanently endow the SCENE Fund. Support from individuals, colleagues, families and foundations, the spirit of philanthropy is alive and well in Springfield. Mercy Medical Center is actively building upon its skilled nursing staff to better serve our patient communities.
This fund will allow Mercy to engage with local colleges and universities to attract and recruit rising nurse leaders in the form of paid internships and train to become CNAs. Additionally, the fund will support current Mercy nurses interested in pursuing elevated certifications and licenses (LPN, RN, etc..), and colleagues who want to pursue a new career in nursing.
bankESB has proudly supported Mercy & Brightside for over 3 decades! Under the leadership of Executive VP, Chief Retail Banking & Marketing Officer Dena Hall, bankESB chose to support this endowment because of the critical need, the high local impact, and the sustainability in its planning. It will be an enduring reminder of Sister Caritas’s vision, her leadership by example, and as a permanent resource for our hospital and those who choose to serve their community in this profound way.
Caption - Present for the bankESB check presentation were Susanne deVillier, bankESB; Geoffrey Hoyt, CDO, Mercy Medical Center; Sister Mary Caritas; Susan Pettorini-D’Amico, CNO, Mercy Medical Center; Dr. Philip Glynn, Sister Caritas Cancer Center at Mercy; and Katherine Sordillo, bankESB.