Scholarship Winners are Named


Merlin Brondum Scholarship:
Stacy (Vollmer) Ebel, a Wisner native, has been selected to receive the Merlin Brondum Memorial Scholarship. Stacy is a student at the University of Nebraska Medical Center School of Pharmacy, pursuing a doctorate in Pharmacology. She will graduate in 2010. Stacy did her undergraduate studies at Northeast Community College and was an RHOP student at Wayne State College. Stacy believes that "having a Pharmacist in the area is a critical component in providing health care to the residents of a rural community" and the "patient-pharmacist relationship that is built in a small community is truly one of a kind". She is currently residing in Omaha with her husband Craig.

The $2,500 scholarship is awarded annually in memory of Merlin Brondum. Merlin worked at the Pender Community Hospital for 27 years, most of which were as Director of the Laboratory. Merlin died in 2003 after a brief illness and will be remembered by the PCH staff as a friend and family member. The scholarship committee makes its decision based on health care experience, academic performance, financial need, career objectives in a rural area and community contributions.


Gloria Vollers Scholarship:
Kelly (Peplinski) Soll of Bancroft, has been selected to receive the Gloria Vollers Memorial Scholarship. Soll has been accepted into the St. Lukes College of Nursing program, Sioux City, and will be attending full time in the fall. Kelly has attended Southeast Community College and Capitol School of Esthetics. Soll has been a Certified Nursing Assistant at Pender Care Centre, Esthetician at Center Stage Salon & Spa and currently employed at CharterWest National Bank. Kelly knows that "every healthcare facility needs professionals that can advocate healthy lifestyles and provide healthcare solutions to patients." She credits her mom for having a great impact on her decision to pursue a degree in nursing, spending the majority of her nursing career in Pender.

Gloria, a registered nurse, worked at Pender Community Hospital for over 30 years as a staff nurse, surgery supervisor and Director of Nursing. The $2,000 scholarship was made possible by a generous donation from Dr. Cyrus Beye, a retired general surgeon who served the Pender Community Hospital for many years. Dr. Beye was touched by Gloria's compassion, caring spirit, professionalism and dedication to nursing. The scholarship committee makes its decision based on health care experience, academic performance, financial need, career objectives in a rural area and community contributions.

Trisha Kinnaman Scholarship:
The recipient of the first Trisha Kinnaman Memorial Scholarship is Emily Malchow. A 2004 graduate of Wisner-Pilger, Malchow is pursuing a Masters Degree in Speech-Language Pathology at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. She will graduate in 2010. Her career goal is to better the lives of those individuals who have communication disorders or delays and to be a support system for those individuals. Growing up on a farm south of Pender, Malchow realizes the importance of youth attaining higher education and then returning to the rural area to make a contribution to their community. Emily believes that the person she is today is based on the values instilled in her by her parents and sisters.

The $2,000 scholarship will be awarded annually in memory of Trisha Kinnaman, a Physical Therapist at the Pender Community Hospital for over 12 years. Her dedication to rural healthcare was evident in the services she provided to PCH, area Nursing Homes, a sports clinic at Pender Medical Clinic and her volunteerism in surrounding communities. Trisha was a respected mentor for students in various allied healthcare fields. The scholarship committee makes its decision based on health care experience, academic performance, financial need, career objectives in a rural area and community contributions.